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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-20 Applicant Response to Questions 060220Frederick County Planning Commission Questions 6.1.20 Urban Grid Responses shown in blue 1) Laydown Yard- moving the Laydown Yard from the area directly adjacent to Kline’s Mill Road to an area further inside the proposed project that would not be as readily observed by neighboring homes from Klines Mill Road; or moved to an area off the Vaucluse Road where homes and traffic would not be as affected. Urban Grid has submitted a conceptual layout that includes proposed site access points and a laydown yard based on our current understand of the project layout. Since submitting the conceptual layout, we’ve received feedback from members of the public who have asked us to relocate the construction access point on Hites Road. We are no longer considering this as a construction access point. We’ve also received feedback on the location of the laydown yard, which was proposed on Klines Mill Rd. While we have not taken this location off the table, we are also considering a laydown yard location along Vaucluse Road on the Woodbine property, that was previously used by First Energy when they were adding equipment to their substation. Our next step in the process to help us identify the final locations of the construction access points and laydown yard is to engage an outside engineering firm to do a road use analysis. This firm will evaluate the roads that surround the project area to understand the ability of the roads to handle heavy haul materials, the existing traffic volumes during the day, and the proximity to major highways. The goal of the analysis is to identify roads that will allow heavy haul trucks to safely and efficiently deliver materials to the site. The road use analysis will be shared with the County and VDOT to obtain their feedback before travel roads are selected and access points are defined. The Planning Staff has communicated to us that they understand the conceptual nature of the site plan, and they have expressed their ability to be flexible to allow changes to ingress and egress points and the location of the laydown yard after a road use analysis has been completed, and in collaboration with staff during site plan approval will be finalized. Other measures that will be incorporated into the logistic plan, include avoiding delivery times when school buses are on the roads, as well as peak commute times. 2. Relocate the proposed main entrance on Hites Road northward to the section of Hites Road that lies between or near its intersection with Clark Road and Vaucluse Road. This would allow for better traffic site distance. We are no longer considering the construction access point previously identified on the conceptual site plan submitted with our Conditional Use Permit application. 3. Creating a construction entrance for the Interconnect Station off Clark Road, rather than the proposed entrance off Marlboro Road. This would allow for easier construction access. If desired, the Marlboro Road entrance could be designated as the maintenance entrance, once construction is complete. See comments under Question #1 above. We will consider this additional access point as we continue to refine our understanding of the roads that will serve the project during the construction phase. 4. One of our main concerns is the impact that the presence of the solar farm will have on our property value. Along with that, we have concerns when we do decide to put our house on the market, the ability to sell with the view of the solar farm around. Recent research on the impact of solar farms on property values supports the conclusion that solar facilities do not decrease property values. Furthermore, there is no discernable impact on property values regardless of whether solar farms are located near residential, agricultural, or industrial properties. (Urban Grid provided the Planning Staff with a Fact Sheet on this topic with referenced studies). 5. Our property is going to have the solar farm on both the east and west side. Since we are going to be surrounded by this, we request that the Planning Commission will consider enforcing larger setbacks. At least 300 ft. setbacks should be made a condition. Urban Grid has designed the project in accordance with the applicable zoning requirements. Urban Grid will be installing an extensive vegetative buffer to minimize the view of the solar project from neighboring parcels and public right-of-ways. Because there is virtually no noise emitted from a solar facility, and no light, Urban Grid is not sure what benefit is created by increasing the setback to adjoining properties, given the substantial vegetative buffer that will be installed. What is certain, is that buildable area will be diminished, when we are trying to use the site most efficiently within the confines of the zoning code. 6. Please also take into consideration the impacts to the surrounding homeowners during the construction phase. a. Where will construction entrances be? Please see response to Question #1. b. What will hours of construction be? Urban Grid proposes the following hours of construction: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM (light permitting) Mon. – Fri. 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Saturday and Sunday). No heavy earth moving equipment will be used on Sundays. Material deliveries to the site will occur earlier than 7:00 AM, but not during times when school buses are on the road, or peak commuting times. c. Will construction take place on weekends? See response above. d. Neighbors will be subject to noise, dust and truck traffic during the construction period. Construction will last approximately 6 – 9 months, depending on the weather. During this time there will be construction related noise. Dust will be suppressed with water trucks. Traffic will be minimized by scheduling delivery trucks outside of peak commuting times and when no school buses are on the road. Additionally, delivery trucks will be able to turn off the road into the construction laydown area, so no queuing occurs on the road. After construction there will be very few and infrequent vehicles accessing the site for maintenance. 7. The back of our property often gets run off when it storms from the property behind us. We have concerns on the muddy mess and run off that we will experience as a result of the construction behind our property. Following PBR approval, the project will be in final design stages with a civil engineering firm, which includes a stormwater analysis. The stormwater analysis is required with application for a Construction General Permit (CGP) with DEQ. The CGP requires that a stormwater analysis, in compliance with the VSMP standards, be conducted to ensure that stormwater runoff from the site is less than or equal to runoff in the land's current state. The final construction plans will detail all stormwater management components on-site, which usually refer to Best Management Practices, or BMPs. An additional component of the CGP is preparation of a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) that details Erosion & Sediment controls used on site during construction. This includes preparation of an Erosion and Stormwater, or E&S Plan (plan sets detailing where E&S controls are implemented, with spec sheets). During the construction phase, a third-party inspections firm will perform routine inspections on site every four days, and no later than 24 hours following a rain event, which are reported to DEQ. DEQ will also perform quarterly inspections and take enforcement action as necessary for any non-compliance. https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Portals/0/DEQ/Water/StormwaterManagement/CGP%20ADA/CGP2019.pdf?ver=20 19-05-06-131630-407 8. How long will Urban Grid be responsible for the health and maintenance of the vegetative buffer. It is all well and good to say that the buffer will be planted, but if/when some trees/bushes die, who will be held accountable to address and for how long? While the County’s zoning ordinance only requires vegetative buffers to be maintained for up to one year, Urban Grid has voluntarily committed to maintain the health and maintenance of the vegetative buffer for the life of the project (~35 years). 9. A multi-decade lease is concerning with a company that has not been in business for a full decade. The company has been in business since 2011 so we don’t have a lot of history on their reputation. Are they in a sound financial position? What reputation does the company have with other parties and other landowners? The company has touted that they want to be neighborly so they should have no issues being flexible on setbacks. A 300 foot set back is a small percentage of the overall project. Urban Grid has agreed to enter into a Decommissioning Agreement with Frederick County that requires the owner of the solar facility to post a bond in an amount equal to the cost of removing the facility, and restoring the land, which protects the County and the landowner. The amount of the bond will be reviewed every five years by an independent engineering firm to determine if the cost of removal has changed. The bond amount will be adjusted accordingly. In addition, Urban Grid is well financed, has over 10,000 MW of solar in active development and is the landowner and lessor for several large scale solar facilities, most notably, the Colonial Trail West and Spring Grove Solar I facilities in Surry County, Virginia which are owned and operated by Dominion Energy and also serves as lessee. Urban Grid has developed numerous other projects where the energy has been purchased by Fortune 500 companies such as Amazon and Shell Oil.