To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Bryan Weimer, Director, Public Works and Development
Prepared By:
prepared
Molly Orkild-Larson, Principal Planner, Public Works and Development
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Subject:
title
AE23-001-USS Tallgrass Solar LLC, AE23-003-USS Hampden Solar LLC, AE24-007-USS Raptor Solar LLC, AE24-008 USS Calico Solar LLC - Administrative Use by Special Review - Small Solar System Facility and USR24-001-USS Great Plains Solar LLC, and USR24-002-USS High Plains Solar LLC - Use by Special Review - Decommissioning Agreements
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The applicants, known as USS Tallgrass Solar LLC, USS Hampden Solar LLC, USS Great Plains Solar LLC, USS High Plains Solar LLC, USS Raptor Solar LLC, and USS Calico Solar LLC, are seeking approval of the attached Decommissioning Plan Agreements for six, five-megawatt solar energy generation facilities located north and adjacent to E. Hampden Avenue and west of E-470. Four of the solar facilities are situated on parcel number 1975-36-1-00-006 and two on parcel number 1975-36-1-00-008. The names of these facilities are USS Tallgrass Solar, USS Hampden Solar, USS Raptor Solar, USS Calico Solar, USS High Plains Solar and USS Great Plains Solar. See “Location od Small Solar Facilities” in the record for a depiction of the location of each of the small solar facilities.
Section 5-3.5 of the Land Development Code requires small solar facilities to develop a decommissioning plan and provide the County with a bond in an amount approved by the Building Division and in the form of surety approved by the County before putting the facility into operation. The purpose of the bond is to cover the estimated cost of decommissioning the solar facility and reclaiming the subject property to its original condition as summarized in a Decommissioning Agreement. Each of the six agreements are made a part of the record for review.
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Alignment with Strategic Plan: Sustainable Growth and Infrastructure - Support environmentally responsible development and energy efficiency in county operations.
Background and Discussion: Both parcels are vacant and used for dryland farming. The County reviewed four of the small solar facilities (Tallgrass-AE23-001, Hampden-AE23-003, Raptor-AE24-007, and Calico-AE24-008) through the Administrative Use by Special Review - Small Solar System Facility process, and two through Use by Special Review (Great Plains-USR24-001 and High Plains-USR24-002). These facilities were reviewed through the Use by Special Review process because they didn’t meet the 2,000-foot setback from a Designated Outdoor Activity Area. This review required the applicant to demonstrate how the impact of the facility could be mitigated. Four small solar facilities were approved in 2024 and two in 2025.
Alternatives:
1. Approve the decommissioning agreements as presented.
2. Deny approval of the decommissioning agreements.
3. Continue this item for additional information.
Fiscal Impact: No direct fiscal impact.
Alignment with Strategic Implementation Strategies: N/A
Concurrence: N/A