Agenda - 04-15-2014 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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15 1 diminishment in value. There is normally something you would point to, such as a use that is 2 going to cause a lot of noise, or something that's going to bring an odor, or something that's 3 going to bring an awful lot of traffic to that area. But, the solar farm is not going to have any of 4 those things. It's silent. I've visited over 25 of these farms so far, and I have never heard 5 anything outside the fence. I have never smelled anything. I've never experienced anything 6 that would suggest to me that there was an issue. The one issue that folks come up with and I'll 7 point out, is appearance, you know, they don't like the way it looks. I've looked and included in 8 there— I've shown pictures of greenhouses, which is the most similar use I can think of other 9 than —well it's the most similar other type of development use I have found. I take pictures of 10 greenhouses all the time now. Again, they are very similar, very compatible use, which makes 11 sense. A greenhouse really is just trapping solar energy also. And again — proximity to 12 greenhouses —there has never been anything to suggest that has ever been a problem either. 13 So, for all those reasons, it is my professional opinion that the proposed solar farm is going to 14 have no impact on adjoining property values. I also looked at the question of harmonious use, 15 and I've broken down a list of the adjoining uses on a number of the solar farms I've looked at, 16 and it shows that most of the adjoining uses where these are going are residential or agricultural 17 in nature. Most of these are not being located in industrial areas necessarily. There certainly 18 are some examples where they are in those transition areas, but most of these solar farms are 19 being located in areas where agricultural and rural uses are transitioning into more residential 20 suburban areas. That is one of the other reasons I'd conclude that this is a harmonious use, 21 and so it is my professional opinion that this is a harmonious use for that. 22 23 Dave Neill: Mr. Kirkland, I have here under tab 4 in the Board and commission's package, the 24 affidavit of Richard C. Kirkland, MAI. Are you familiar with that document and its contents? 25 26 Rich Kirkland: I am. 27 28 Dave Neill: And they are truthful? 29 30 Rich Kirkland: Yes 31 32 Dave Neill: And that is your signature, given under oath? 33 34 Rich Kirkland: It is. 35 36 Dave Neill: We would offer tab 4, the affidavit of Mr. Kirkland, as our last exhibit of evidence for 37 this matter for our case. Unless there are questions from members of the Board, or from the 38 commission, we would offer to the Board, our application and ask for your support, as I know 39 the seat still has to go before the planning board and back to the commission later on. We 40 believe that we've provided competent material and substantial evidence of the requirements 41 and compliance with the requirements of the special use permit, a class A special use permit, 42 and we stand ready to answer any additional questions and would also welcome questions or 43 comments from others who are here this evening who may have competent evidence to offer. 44 45 Buddy Hartley: Are there any questions or comments from the Board? 46 47 Commissioner Rich: I have a question about the noise, or lack of noise. I met with someone 48 today that is not—that is going to be a neighbor to another proposed solar farm, not this one, 49 and they are concerned about the noise. It's just that hum. Their property backs into where the 50 proposed farm is going to be. So, can you just talk a little bit about— I mean I understood what 51 he said, that you can only hear it if you are close to it. But, if your property actually backs into