To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Bryan Weimer, Director of Public Works and Development
Prepared By:
prepared
Molly Orkild-Larson, Principal Planner, Public Works and Development
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presenter
Presenter: Molly Orkild-Larson, Principal Planner, Public Works and Development
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Subject:
title
Case No. CZ24-001, Lowry Rezoning - Conventional Rezone
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The applicant, SunShare LLC, on behalf of the property owner, Lowry Environmental Protection Cleanup Trust Fund, seeks approval of a rezoning application for a parcel at the northeast corner of E. Quincy Avenue and S. Gun Club Road. The subject property is 56.7 acres and zoned MU (Mixed Use). This application proposes to rezone the parcel from MU to A-1 (Agricultural-1) to develop a 5-megawatt (MW) small solar facility on the property. These smaller facilities are known as "solar gardens" and are distinguished from larger "solar farms" by the limitation on their size (maximum of 5 MW capacity).
Small solar facilities (solar panels generating 5MW or less) are only permitted on Agricultural and Industrially zoned property. If the rezone is approved, the proposed solar facility must obtain approval of an Administrative Use by Special Review - Small Solar System Facilities application. The proposed solar garden will be unmanned and will not require water and sanitary sewer service. Gas and electric lines traverse the eastern boundary of the subject site. The gas lines will be left undisturbed, but the solar facility proposes to connect to Xcel Energy distribution lines.
The facility will have access from S. Gun Club Road and is anticipated to generate 20 to 40 vehicle trips per day during construction (two to four months). Once construction is complete, two site visits are expected to occur every quarter.
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Background and Discussion: The parcel is an undeveloped agricultural property that is currently dryland-farmed.
To the east of the...
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