Orange County NC Website
12 <br /> 1 depending on soil conditions. This site -we can drive the post in approximately 3 to 4 days, so <br /> 2 it's a very quick operation. From there, the racking —the underground begins. We do some <br /> 3 underground trenching toward the inverters. The only overhead we do is when we interconnect <br /> 4 to the utility once we've converted it to AC power and stepped up the voltage. So we have <br /> 5 some underground going and the racking begins, and this is a progressive project; so, as one <br /> 6 operation has started with the racking and it progresses to another area, in that area we can <br /> 7 start to put the modules on the rack. So again, the material is staged and it's put right into use. <br /> 8 The typical construction time from for this is anywhere from three to four months. We do have, <br /> 9 you know, some clearing to do on this particular site; so it may take us a couple weeks longer to <br /> 10 get through those trees. But it's about a four month process on a site like this for us, from the <br /> 11 day that we show up to put the driveway in to the day that we stabilize the site. As they <br /> 12 discussed, we will be grading this at the end, just to smooth everything out; prepare the bed for <br /> 13 seed; and we will seed and straw this. We have typically been using Bermuda grass. That's <br /> 14 what we hope to do. If not, it will be some other native grass that we can get to grow, hopefully. <br /> 15 <br /> 16 Mr. Harvey spoke to it. We do have some buffers proposed, and we will evaluate the potential <br /> 17 to use the existing trees wherever possible; and if they don't satisfy the buffer requirements or if <br /> 18 the species is not right, then we will plant the buffer per— I believe it's a type D land use buffer. <br /> 19 So we have discussed this, and we are aware of it. This project generates almost no traffic, <br /> 20 following construction. Everything is monitored remotely. Each inverter area —we can see <br /> 21 down to the combinations of panels together, what's performing and what's not performing; so <br /> 22 the maintenance is basically an as needed. So, it's monitored on the web. We can see when <br /> 23 it's making power, when it's not making power, and we can tell which areas of the sites are a <br /> 24 problem and do a lot of pre-diagnosis before we come out. Quite often, the most frequent trips <br /> 25 for maintenance are actually the vegetation maintenance. So we take full responsibility for that <br /> 26 and have that in house as well. We mow the grass. We trim the bushes—whatever is <br /> 27 necessary for the farm —fertilize. So that's - it generates far less traffic than any single family <br /> 28 home would, because there is no manned activity there on a daily basis. This project doesn't <br /> 29 affect traffic obviously, because of that requirement. There is no noise associated with the <br /> 30 project. There is no dust. There is no odor. There is no light reflection. The panels are <br /> 31 designed to absorb the light, not reflect the light, so there is no glare. I spoke to the storm <br /> 32 drainage. We will comply with the Orange County requirements. I believe that the location and <br /> 33 character of this use is in harmony with the area in which it's located. It's a very low intensity, <br /> 34 low impact development project. We have built many farms in this same type of environment. <br /> 35 So, to summarize, it is my professional opinion, based on my experience as an engineer of <br /> 36 record on many rural solar farm facilities in North Carolina and my familiarity with the proposal <br /> 37 and its design, an establishment, maintenance and operation of the proposed solar farm will not <br /> 38 be detrimental to endanger the public health, safety, morals, comfort or general welfare. It is <br /> 39 also my professional opinion, based on the familiarity with this proposal and my review of the <br /> 40 applicable provisions of the Orange County UDO, that the proposed solar farm facility meets all <br /> 41 of the requirements of the UDO for issuance of the requested special use permit. I'll be happy <br /> 42 to answer questions you may have. <br /> 43 <br /> 44 Dave Neill: Mr. Neiman, you know what I'm going to ask you. Are you familiar with this <br /> 45 instrument? <br /> 46 <br /> 47 Brent Neimann: Yes, I am. <br /> 48 <br /> 49 Dave Neill: Is this instrument titled, Affidavit of Brent Neimann, PE, and is it a fair summary of <br /> 50 your testimony this evening? <br /> 51 <br />