PDD-21-7532

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TranscriptWhat was said at each appearance is below it. Machine transcription, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 88% of 219 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.

1. 1May 6, 2021
   Planning CommissionPC2Public hearingNo disposition in the minutes

   Open this item →▶ Play from 25:57
   ▶ 25:5726m

   Denise

   25:57Okay, we're now going to move on to item PC two and uh Liam Devine will be presenting that item and I will be sharing my screen. So if you give me just a moment.

   Tiffany Schultz

   26:06Okay.

   Liam Devine

   26:25Agenda item P C two.

   26:30PDD 21-7532 in the name of Palm River Dairy Inc., it is a special exception for a solar electric power collection facility, solar farm, and substation in an AR agricultural residential district and an AC agricultural district.

   26:49The subject site is located east of Paul S. Buckman Highway, south of Jerry Road, west of Saunders Road, and north of County Line Road.

   27:00The subject site contains a dairy farm and single-family dwellings on approximately 576.199 acres. The owner slash applicants propose a solar electricity. generation facility that will employ thin film photovoltaic panels that absorb sunlight and directly produce electricity. The pro the project will encompass approximately 95 acres of the total subject site and having a maximum generation capacity of

   27:3074.9 megawatts or less.

   27:35The surrounding area area is characterized by residential, agricultural, commercial, and industrial uses. The subject site has a future land use classification of Res1, residential one dwelling unit per acre and IL, industrial light under the comprehensive plan. A Solar Electric Power Collection Facility, Solar Farm, and Sation under 75 MW in capacity is a minor public slash semi-public facility that is in allowable use in all future

   28:06land use classifications.

   28:09This is a look at at the surrounding zonings. I will point out the MPUD to the north, uh the south. I'm sorry, correction, to the south, which is Martin Mer Marietti. Um Materials MPUD, which is an aggregate aggregate transfer facility, an asphalt clamp.

   28:32And this is a look at the surrounding future land use classifications.

   28:42And then this is a lookout of the access. And this is going to be coming to the board with a recommendation of approval with conditions.

   28:53Um I don't know if the board would like me to read through all of the conditions. I I can if you guys would like.

   Charles GreyChair

   29:01Well can you check go back to the aerial and show us where it is on that? In that five hundred acre piece of property where this uh farm is supposed to go.

   Liam Devine

   29:14So so it's it's currently being used as a dairy farm. Um the The the special exception is to allow a um solar facil a solar farm in this um zoning of AR and AC. C

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   29:29as a special exception.

   29:32only for seventy five acres, right?

   Denise

   29:35Well let me let me see if I can pull a site plan for you just a moment.

   Peter Hansel

   29:40Okay, I don't see that. It's a s smaller percentage.

   Denise

   29:44Yeah.

   Christopher Poole

   29:47There is a sight line on that.

   Denise

   29:49And use a cycling attached to your a job.

   Christopher Poole

   29:52Yeah.

   Denise

   29:53That's why I put on the um

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   29:57Oh yeah, wait.

   Charles GreyChair

   30:02You know I'm technically challenged.

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   30:08The

   Liam Devine

   30:08site plan should be attachment four.

   Charles GreyChair

   30:24Yeah.

   30:38Well, I don't have a paper copy of it, so

   30:47Yeah, is that it? Okay. So That's that represents seventy-five acres where the white is. I

   Denise

   30:58think a seventy five is the meta loss. So it's gonna be 74.9 megawatts. The uh total acreage, I believe Liam stated is five hundred and seventy-six or so acres.

   Charles GreyChair

   31:10Yes. Yeah, but I thought he said it wasn't I thought he said the actual Yeah, it's not

   Peter Hansel

   31:17the percentage of the property that's actually covered.

   Christopher Poole

   31:20Ninety ninety five acres. Ninety five acres,

   Liam Devine

   31:23yeah. The project will encompass approximately ninety-five acres of the total subject site.

   Charles GreyChair

   31:30Okay, so that wh that's why I'm asking you to if you show me the the total site and how it r how it relates to the Out of this farm relates to the total site. I'd just like to get an idea in my mind. How it lays out.

   Denise

   31:49Here's the total site.

   Christopher Poole

   31:57That's the black boundary, Denise.

   Denise

   32:00The red boundary is

   32:05As a total site.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   32:09Blacks the total site, right?

   Denise

   32:12The red here is the total site. So everything that is around says the total site.

   Charles GreyChair

   32:19Looks like it covers.

   Denise

   32:20I apologize. So you're seeing you're not seeing what I'm seeing. Stop sharing.

   Charles GreyChair

   32:24It really covers most of the property, is what what you're saying.

   32:30Uh that's f it's deceiving to me because

   32:35It looks like it covers all pretty much all five hundred acres.

   Chris Williams

   32:46Well, there's a lot of wetlands um throughout there, so obviously those won't be covered.

   Charles GreyChair

   32:54What did you say, Chris?

   Chris Williams

   32:56I said there's quite a bit of wetlands on there, so those obviously won't be covered. Or at least

   Peter Hansel

   33:03I thought there

   33:04was

   33:04a better illustration with the actual solar

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   33:11Yeah.

   Charles GreyChair

   33:12That's the site plan. When you say you got a five hundred acre site and ninety-five acres of it are in solar panels. To me, that looks like you know, a fifth of it should be in solar panels, not all of it.

   Christopher Poole

   33:29Yeah, taking even taking into account the wetlands. Yeah. Yeah, it looks like it's

   Denise

   33:33So the applicant is on and the applicant can um perhaps provide additional information on the questions.

   Charles GreyChair

   33:40Sounds good to me.

   Clerk

   33:42Can we uh swear in anybody that's gonna speak? On this. Can we go ahead and do a swear in?

   Denise

   33:48Yeah, I think that would great. Thank you.

   Clerk

   33:52If anybody is going to be speaking on um PC two, can you please raise your right hand? Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give is the truth to help you God?

   34:03Thank you.

   Charles GreyChair

   34:07Okay. If the applicant's present, do they want to speak on the questions that we're asking?

   Denise

   34:25So Colin Rice is on for this item.

   Charles GreyChair

   34:27I'm sorry, Denise. What did you say?

   Denise

   34:30Mr. Colin Rice should be on for this item.

   Charles GreyChair

   34:33Okay.

   Denise

   34:48Colin, you're unmuted.

   34:52We can't hear you. Yeah.

   Charles GreyChair

   34:58I don't think I hear it or see.

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   35:08Did you hear anything? But you hear anything?

   Denise

   35:11We we can't hear him.

   35:16Very we can hear you very low.

   Chris Williams

   35:22Okay, does

   Tiffany Schultz

   35:22this any better?

   Denise

   35:24Oh. Yes, it's better.

   Tiffany Schultz

   35:27Sorry for the technical

   Denise

   35:28buttons.

   35:33No, you're back at we can't hear you.

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   35:36Yeah.

   Denise

   35:52Just want uh to let the record reflect that Mr. Chris Williams is off now. Okay, he just sent a message saying that he had to leave the meeting.

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   36:00Okay. Thank you.

   Christopher Poole

   36:05Can you hear me now?

   Denise

   36:08Yes.

   Christopher Poole

   36:09Great.

   36:10Sorry for that. Yeah.

   Charles GreyChair

   36:15Terrible audio audio.

   Denise

   36:18Your audio is very, very bad. Very bad.

   Chris Williams

   36:28So

   Charles GreyChair

   36:31No. Is he at the podium or is he somewhere else?

   Denise

   36:36It appears to be that he's at the office. Okay.

   Charles GreyChair

   36:54Wow. I want to try to propose. I'm going to propose while he's working on that. Let's hear comments.

   Denise

   37:00I'm going to hear from the kiosk. Okay. Yeah.

   Charles GreyChair

   37:02Right.

   Denise

   37:03So we'll hear from the kiosk while that's being taken care of. Ed, would you please a ask the folks at the kiosk? Thank you.

   Charles GreyChair

   37:11Okay, if you'd still uh you if you'd say your name and address please.

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   37:15Um

   37:18Yes, yes, I've been sworn in. Yes, I'm John Schultz. Uh I live at [address removed]. Uh I I oppose the project because it's all around my house. You there's no studies sho I err all the research I did. I there's no study shown of what uh how would it how would it affect our property value, what would it uh Like long term effects of uh live right next to a solar farm, like, you know. I Yeah, there's not enough study

   37:48shown like, you know good and bad is like right as you said, fifty feet from the fence. That's It's so close. And it's all around My whole property.

   Charles GreyChair

   38:01Okay.

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   38:02Yeah, so I do a post.

   Charles GreyChair

   38:05Okay. Anything else?

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   38:07Uh no sorry.

   Charles GreyChair

   38:09Okay, just I wanna make sure you get all your questions out because uh you only have one opportunity, so I'm gonna make sure you get it covered.

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   38:19Oh yeah, my wife would like to speak also.

   Charles GreyChair

   38:22Sure.

   38:27You give your name and address, please.

   Tiffany Schultz

   38:29Yes, my name is Tiffany Schultz and I live at [address removed].

   Charles GreyChair

   38:36Yeah. You've been sworn. Okay?

   Tiffany Schultz

   38:38Yes. And I oppose this um project. Uh Like my husband mentioned a second ago, we do live fifty feet from the fence line. Um, there is no studies on long term effects like if it causes cancer or um the heat like projects off of the solar panel could cause it to get hot. So then our electricity bill could cause like uh increase. So Just read

   39:08from the paper.

   39:11I don't want a solar panels next to my house. It is fifty feet from the fence line. It will not benefit me at all. If anything, my life bill will increase due to the solar panels project heat. Um my AC will work harder. And there is no studies on long term effects next to a solar farm, unknown if it causes cancer or any other harmful Thanks.

   Charles GreyChair

   39:41Do you uh did you happen to did you happen to uh have any uh any studies that you have in your possession that show that it affects your property value negatively or or create some kind of a public uh illnesses or anything like that. Do you have anything like that?

   Tiffany Schultz

   39:59No, there's no studies um found at the moment.

   Charles GreyChair

   40:04Okay.

   Jaimie GirardiVice Chair

   40:06Mr. Chairman

   Charles GreyChair

   40:07Mariano.

   Jaimie GirardiVice Chair

   40:08Yeah. Could we get the folks at the kiosk to identify exactly where their property is and then Have staff state what the buffering requirement would be from their property because there's various conditions and the approval about different buffer types. But I'm not sure where these folks live in relation to The proposed solar farm. So I think staff should be able to educate them on what the what the required buffer would be.

   40:39And then maybe we can get their comments on the required buffer.

   Charles GreyChair

   40:43Okay. Um Yeah, that was one of the things I wanted to ask him is that You know, what's the size of your property and how is it positioned relative to the to the seventy five hundred acres. Uh if you can There's a way to show us on the map.

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   40:59Yeah, so I can I can show you.

   Charles GreyChair

   41:05Okay. Um you're gonna have to state your name again so we know who's talking. The record.

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   41:11Stop me. Yes, I'm John Schultz. Uh

   Charles GreyChair

   41:16Okay. Can you see that map?

   Denise

   41:18Yeah, they live right here, I believe. That's last name is Schultz there.

   Charles GreyChair

   41:22Michael and

   Denise

   41:22Irene Schultz.

   Charles GreyChair

   41:24Okay.

   Denise

   41:25Is that it, Mr. Schultz? Yes.

   Charles GreyChair

   41:27Okay. So and this ninety five acres of this five hundred acres It's supposed to have this solar farm on it. What I wanna know is Where is it in proximity to their property? Yeah. Look

   Denise

   41:41at that.

   Charles GreyChair

   41:43All around

   Denise

   41:44It will it will it will wrap so they own this property, so it will wrap around the property. Um, but Liam can explain what the um what the actual buffering will be around these pieces of property.

   Charles GreyChair

   41:56Okay, and who owns that little strip next to them?

   Denise

   42:01That strip is owned by someone named Gregory and Alexa Hess.

   Charles GreyChair

   42:10All right. Okay. Uh so what we're gonna do is we're gonna Well we're gonna do we understand where your property is and I I think I understand where these Solar panels are going. What we're gonna do is explain what the requirements are for buffering your property. So you at least have that information. And, you know, if they get it approved. So um We could get that expla explanation for this property owner. Uh, so

   42:40he can have a good understanding of Of exactly what he's ha what he's gonna be dealing with. Would that come from Liam?

   Denise

   42:48Yes.

   Liam Devine

   42:49Liam, if you want to go ahead. Okay, I'm going to be going over the recommended conditions. Condition number five for setback and then condition number six with buffers. Condition number five for setbacks, a minimum setback for structures shall be 50 feet from all exterior property boundaries. And then condition number six, which is dealing with the buffers, unless otherwise approved through an alternative standard at the time of preliminary development plan and or preliminary site plan, the owner slash applicant

   43:19shall maintain the buffering and landscaping requirements as follows. A. Fence with a minimum of six feet in height and will be placed interior to the landscaping along all exterior property boundaries. Wood fences are not allowed.

   43:37Yeah, yeah.

   43:40So I believe the applicant is proposing a um And and I don't want to speak for the applicant, but is proposing a um metal wire fence. Um

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   43:52So it's something it can see through. Correct. Okay.

   Liam Devine

   43:59Um and then for this particular property, um, it's called out under 6D, a minimum buffer of 20 foot in width. With two staggered rows of trees with a maximum spacing of 60 feet on center per row required for the following subject properties. And all of those parcels are listed and those two parcels in particular are listed there. Existing natural vegetation may be used to meet

   44:29buffering requirement buffering and landscaping requirements.

   44:38Yeah.

   Charles GreyChair

   44:39Okay, go ahead.

   Liam Devine

   44:45I'm sorry, I was only calling out the bufferings for would you like the rest of the conditions for buffering? Okay, so that's it. It's trees. Those two conditions would be applied for buffering for this particular property. So the

   Charles GreyChair

   45:01fifty feet from the pr adjoining property line. Of a a six foot fence that you can see through. and some trees every sixty feet.

   Jaimie GirardiVice Chair

   45:13Two

   Liam Devine

   45:13rows two rows of trees that are staggered sixty feet. For each row.

   Charles GreyChair

   45:23Okay. And how far apart would the trees be?

   Liam Devine

   45:27So from each tree would be thirty feet apart from each other.

   Charles GreyChair

   45:32Yeah,

   Liam Devine

   45:32okay.

   Charles GreyChair

   45:35All right.

   45:37Okay. Uh any questions from the Bay S.

   Jaimie GirardiVice Chair

   45:41Well, uh

   Charles GreyChair

   45:41Mr.

   Jaimie GirardiVice Chair

   45:41Church, I'm sorry. Real quick, can we get the can we get the folks at the kiosk to now that they know what the buffering requirements are, can we just see if that addresses any of their concerns?

   Charles GreyChair

   45:53Okay.

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   45:55Uh, not really. Uh it still didn't take care of pretty much any any of our issues that we really have. I you know, I I g uh as an eyes org, yeah, I I I you know, I can live with the eyes or but I'm more worried about the the impact it's gonna have on on on us and our families, um, due to, you know, the You know, w e all the you know, stuff we brought up.

   Christopher Poole

   46:23Okay. Mr Schultz, could you confirm how far from the southern property line your ref s residence is roughly? I'm not asking for an exact number, but could you confirm how far that might be?

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   46:35I I'm bad at estimating so like I I I would really hate to give you a a you know, like ballpark number because I you know, I I don't know, like, you know. If if I if I'd be I'd be pretty much lying to you if I told you a number. Okay.

   Christopher Poole

   46:50Fair enough.

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   46:52I'm sure you can look it up on the maps. I'm sure you're able to see it. See my house compared to

   Christopher Poole

   46:58Yeah, I'm I'm just trying to confirm which one is your house on the map. I do have a map up in in front of me. I'm just not sure which one is your is your house. There's a couple of different structures on the property.

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   47:08Yeah, yeah, there if you look at the uh there's a lake right in the front front of my uh house, uh Like ri I'm right off of uh Saunders. Like there's a little little not little lake, but like a little tension pond. Right above like right in front of my house. Okay. You can see that from there.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   47:29Looks like it's about a hundred and twenty five feet. From the property line.

   Christopher Poole

   47:32Yeah. That's

   47:33what I was saying. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. Thank you.

   Charles GreyChair

   47:38Okay. David, does that answer your question?

   Jaimie GirardiVice Chair

   47:42Yes, it does. It seems that their concerns are more health related than visual related, so Um

   Charles GreyChair

   47:50Yeah, I think it's health and value,

   Jaimie GirardiVice Chair

   47:52property

   Charles GreyChair

   47:52value.

   Jaimie GirardiVice Chair

   47:54Okay. So I think you probably need to turn it over back over to the applicant now.

   Charles GreyChair

   48:00Okay. So Having said that, then do we have any questions here from the dais? Is is the app is the app kinda able to speak now?

   Denise

   48:09Colin, can you try again? Yes, can

   Charles GreyChair

   48:12you guys hear me now?

   48:22If the applicant's not able to speak Uh David, would it be appropriate to Ask for continuance.

   Jaimie GirardiVice Chair

   48:31Yes, I think so. I mean the applicant

   48:36Unless the applicant has another representative that can Yeah. I think you'd have to continue it.

   Denise

   48:45I believe the applicant is saying he's gonna try to call in.

   Charles GreyChair

   48:56We seem to have this problem some When uh A lot of times when they try to speak from their office.

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   49:03See it looks like that's green. See how it sees our boots? Yeah.

   Ed Zodian

   49:20Cool.

   Charles GreyChair

   49:21Uh

   49:24Well, I just think it's You know. Inappropriate to Or people that come come all the way over here to be here at this meeting to speak at the at the kiosk like we ask 'em to. and then we make 'em sit on their hands while The other person didn't show up. You know. And Then he has the same opportunity. So I I just think we need to Mm uh

   49:55you know asked for a motion to continue and

   50:00Yeah, we can do it at a later date.

   50:05Any problem with that, David?

   Jaimie GirardiVice Chair

   50:09I would also point out that we have plenty of other attorneys that Barb Will Hight, Joel Two, others that are able to address us just fine. So I'm not sure the box is on our end. I think it's on his end.

   Chris Williams

   50:24I make the motion to continue. Is this supposed

   Christopher Poole

   50:27to work?

   Charles GreyChair

   50:28Okay, we have a motion to continue. Do I have a second?

   Christopher Poole

   50:31A second. Chris Poole.

   Charles GreyChair

   50:33Any further discussion on the motion. If not all all in favor, signify by roll call.

   Clerk

   50:40Jamie Jordy? Don Anderson?

   Peter Hansel

   50:43Aye.

   Clerk

   50:44Peter Hansel.

   Peter Hansel

   50:45Aye.

   Clerk

   50:45Roberto Saiz.

   Peter Hansel

   50:47Bye.

   Clerk

   50:49Christopher Poole?

   Peter Hansel

   50:50I could

   Clerk

   50:51Chairman Charles Gray.

   Peter Hansel

   50:52All right.

   Denise

   50:53So for the record, the motion is to continue to the following Planning Commission meeting, which is on May twentieth at 130 in Newport Ritchie.

   Charles GreyChair

   51:00Yeah, let me ask you uh if these people are from This side of the county, make sure we continue it to the Yeah. Of the meeting that's on this side of the county?

   Denise

   51:10Okay.

   51:12Okay. Let me find the next meeting. Date.

   51:18Um, then that would be a continuance to the June third. Planning Commission meeting at one thirty in Dade City.

   Charles GreyChair

   51:26That's good. Everybody have everybody okay with that? The those folks are from the side of the county then? Yes.

   Denise

   51:34Oh yeah. This is not this is on this side of the county. Yeah.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   51:37I'm okay with that, but just for the record, they could still come to the kiosk in Dade City for a Newport Ritchie meeting, correct?

   Denise

   51:43Um I do not believe they own the Dade City kiosk for a Newport Ritchie

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   51:47meeting. Very good. I'm fine with that then.