Agenda - 09-12-2016 - C.1 - Class A Special Use Permit - Solar Array off US Highway 70 in Cheeks Township

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24 ; RE: Per Orange County Planning&Inspections Department Application for Special Use Permit Detailed description of proposed land use: The Special Use permit request Is for a ground mount solar generating plant. Oakwood Solar Farm, LLC Is located on US Highway 70 In Mebane, NC. The PIN to the parcel of the solar farm proposed is 9835-02-9317. The PIN to the site access agreed upon with the landowner Is 9835- 10-3858. The existing soils consisted In the project area are "GeB" Georgeville silt loam and "GeC"Georgeville silt loam. The majority of the site is comprised of scrub/shrub vegetation. The site was cleared for timber purposes 3-5 years ago. The southeast portion of the site is used as staging for Mace Grading Company, Inc. Two jurisdictional man-made open water ponds with a 65 foot buffer are located on the southern and northwestern portions of the boundary, respectively. A stream is located on the northeast portion of the boundary with an 80 foot buffer. The site will meet and exceed the buffer regulations(depicted on the site plan). No buildings are located within the site boundary. FIRM Panel 9835 Indicates the projects limits are not within a special flood hazard area (attached). The site Is located within the Back Creek Protected Watershed Overlay District and Efland-Cheeks Hwy 70 Overlay District(pre- designated commercial area). Project will use no groundwater or have Impact on water table or groundwater. Project construction and operation has no impact on wetlands. Project site Latitude is 36°5'27.08"N and Longitude Is 79°14'0,07"W. The proposed ground-mount solar farm will consist of fixed solar panels, racking arrays with driven posts, pad mounted inverter/and transformer areas(as depicted on the site plan)and a chain link fence w barbed wire to keep safe and secure the site. Land Is not paved and is left virtually undisturbed. A Type D Landscaping buffer will be planted where existing natural vegetation is not consistent with the County requirements (depicted on site plans). Site access will be through PIN 9835- 103-858 which has been agreed with the landowner. During construction it is estimated that a maximum of 40 workers will be on site each day with less than 100 trips In/out of the site to occur approximately 4 months of construction until completion (attached Trip Generation report). The site will be odorless, un-manned, produce no waste, and create a tax base for the County. Remote monitoring will be in place for energy production reasons. I i l