Minutes 05-27-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Commissioner Rich: I have two questions, one for Mr. Harvey. You talked about White Cross and that it does have a buffer plan in place. Clearly something went awry there. In your opinion, was the buffer planted and then not maintained and died? Is that what happened there, or was the buffer never planted? Michael Harvey: It would be best if I said that the buffer was partially planted. Some of it died, and we have issued a notice of correction in accordance with the approved special use permit. And let me expand on that answer by stating the following; they have not been issued a final certificate of occupancy by the planning department yet, meaning occupying using the site. They have to plant additional trees and replace the dead landscaping. If this project is approved, or even using the White Cross example, we have the authority under the permit that's been issued by this Board to revoke the special use permit and force them to shut down immediately. And as this Board already knows from past individuals coming to speak before you, the planning department has no qualms about exercising that option. And let me also just make another comment. If this project is approved, there are notes on the site plan indicating that there will be quarterly inspections completed on the landscaping. We obviously require that all landscaping that is required be maintained in perpetuity for the life of the project. The applicant is holding themselves to these standards, because the site plan becomes part of the special use permit approval. Any violation of the special use permit, any violation of the ordinance, or any violation of the site plan gives the County the authority to revoke the special use permit. Commissioner Rich: Thank you. And my second question is to Mr. Kirkland. So we just got this tonight, so I didn't have a good chance to examine it. But, my question is; when you are talking about value of homes, and people moving into homes that are near these solar farms, most to the people that I see here, and correct me if I'm wrong —that you're giving values of homes—the solar farm existed first and then the subdivision came second. Is that correct? Rich Kirkland: Yeah. I try to clarify each category, so yeah, that top set there shows adjoining sales after the solar farm was announced, and then I have a couple more after that, after the solar farm was built. Commissioner Rich: So people clearly knew when they were buying these homes that they were moving next to a solar farm. Rich Kirkland: Yes. And when I talked to some of the homeowners, there was one homeowner who told me that she did not know. But, she actually didn't care after the fact anyway. Commissioner Rich: Okay, that's fine. That's for her to decide. I'm just wondering have you — Is there anything in here that would represent a similar situation that we're talking about tonight? Is anything in your evidence here? Are any neighborhoods that represent something that we're doing here? Rich Kirkland: Again, I think this—Again, it is a similar— It is —These are homeowners. These are owner occupants. These are not rental units. The price range in Spring Gardens is 240 to 260 range. The MLS shows that for this neighborhood, the average price, well the price since 2010 —that's as far back as I looked —they range from 160 thousand to 550, averaging around 320. So, again it's a slightly higher price point at this location, but within a reasonable range I'd say, as far as looking at impacts for what a homeowner is looking at. Even at different