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AGENDA ITEM – 1B <br /> <br />City of Arden Hills <br />City Council Meeting for December 21, 2015 <br /> <br />P:\Planning\Research Projects\Solar Regulations <br />Page 1 of 2 <br /> <br /> MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />DATE: December 21, 2015 <br /> <br />TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers <br /> Sue Iverson, Acting City Administrator <br /> <br />FROM: Ryan Streff, City Planner <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Array – Primer Tracer Area <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Requested Action <br /> <br />Provide feedback to Ramsey County and Xcel Energy on the proposed construction of a Solar <br />Photovoltaic (PV) Array at the Primer Tracer Area. <br /> <br /> <br />Background <br /> <br />Ramsey County is currently working with the General Services Administration (GSA) on the <br />purchase of approximately 62 acres of land, known as the Primer Tracer Area, from the Federal <br />Government (Attachment B). The County is proposing to split the property into two uses that <br />include a five to eight megawatt solar array and a potential State Emergency Management <br />Center. Ramsey County together with Xcel Energy has identified the eastern 40 acres of the <br />Primer Tracer Area for the development of a solar array. <br /> <br />The Rice Creek Regional Trail (RCRT) currently includes 93 acres of land identified within <br />Attachment B as parcels A, B, and D which have been transferred to Ramsey County from the <br />National Park Service. Ramsey County is working to secure an easement with the MN National <br />Guard over the 15 acre Parcel C so that access can be provided to the proposed developments on <br />the Primer Tracer Area. <br /> <br />Preliminary research on the proposed use found that a solar array development at the Primer <br />Tracer Area would require the following changes to the City’s Zoning Code: <br /> <br />• Rezone the Primer Tracer Area from R-1 Single Family Residential to Conservation <br />District (CD) to correspond with the Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map.