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<br />Farm, because we have such low impervious values, less than one percent, we are able to
<br />install typically, vegetated swales to treat the runoff.
<br />Chair Jacobs: I have a question for Mr. Harvey. It's not dissimilar to Commissioner Rich's
<br />question. How many solar farms do we currently have in Orange County?
<br />Michael Harvey: We have one solar facility, the White Cross Solar farm that was permitted by
<br />this Board with the issuance of a Class A special use permit. We have several private property
<br />owners who have erected solar facilities on their property. Several examples include: Mr. Bob
<br />Nutter, off of Dairyland Road; there is one at the Eco- Institute off of Pickards Mountain Road;
<br />and we have several small properties that have solar facilities, solar panels, either on the
<br />houses or on the residential property. But, as far public utility facilities, this will be our second.
<br />Chair Jacobs: And are you aware of any complaints that have been brought to you by
<br />adjoining property owners regarding those panels or facilities.
<br />Michael Harvey: I can testify I have not received any noise complaints, and there have been no
<br />investigations conducted by the planning department or the Sheriff's department, who would
<br />obviously enforce a noise ordinance.
<br />Johnny Randall: Now, I am all for solar. I have a solar water heater. I hope to have photo -
<br />voltaics on my house, and some of my best friends are in the solar business; but I would like to
<br />make a couple of comments to Strata Solar about this, and I'm sorry if I haven't had the
<br />opportunity or made the opportunity to make these before, as a planning board member. But, in
<br />terms of property value, I don't know if they've considered the fact that this wooded site is
<br />between 1 -85 and the residential area, which I'm sure provides a significant sound buffer. And I
<br />don't know how that will affect what will be coming from 1 -85 subsequent to the logging of that
<br />site. I know that there is railroad track right behind those residences, so you know they get
<br />intermittent noise, I'm sure; but that's different than a constant sound from 1 -85.
<br />The other comment is also for Strata Solar. This is clearly not a significant natural area;
<br />however, looking at aerial photos, it's largely hardwood and maturing trees and I would just like
<br />to say that for future site choices, I would encourage you to choose sites that are perhaps
<br />redevelopment sites, gray fields, brown fields that would be more in line with your sustainability
<br />mission. Because losing 52 acres of trees, which are going to suck up not only pollutants, but a
<br />lot of carbon dioxide and sequester that over the long term, kind of offsets what you — the
<br />philosophy — What I believe your organization, your company, does is to reduce carbon
<br />emissions to the environment, but by taking out 52 acres, there's 52 acres that's not going to be
<br />taking up carbon, sequestering that. But, at the same time I know this can be re- developed or
<br />developed in other ways, apartment complex for instance, which you know - So, I'm just pointing
<br />that off for your future land use. And as far as the runoff goes, let's say there are, you know on
<br />the low side, a hundred trees per acre, and you've got 52 acres, 5,200 trees. A modest size
<br />tree can transpire over 100 gallons of water per day; therefore, 520,000 gallons of water per day
<br />could be leaving that site. So, you might need to calculate that as well, in terms of about how
<br />much water is going to be running off the site. I don't know if you're going to check the amount
<br />of runoff post tree harvest or pre tree harvest, but I think you should do that post tree harvest.
<br />That's all I've got.
<br />Megan Toben: Hi thanks for the opportunity to jump in here. My name is Megan Toben and
<br />I've been sworn in. I'm going to tell you the truth; I actually came to speak in support of the
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