2018-06-25-minutes-public-hearing-solar-moratorium

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06/25/2018 MINUTES 2 Regulations and Overlay Map. The Board asked questions of Staff relating to various topics relating to the proposed amendments. THOSE PRESENT & TESTIFYING: RON SLATER said he was representing 400 acres in Zone 3. He said he had lost all of the water and his property is now non-irrigated and non-producing land and no longer worth anything at this point. He felt solar would be a perfect fit in those types of areas. DICK CARKNER representing Save Our Farms described why agriculture was important to Kittitas County and included the economic and cultural benefits. He urged the Board to adopt the regulations that had been forwarded by the Planning Commission. JEFF DUNNING spoke of how 95% of water rights were not held by the landowners. JP ROAN felt there was no consistency in the math and how his place is in Zone 1 and goes up to Zone 3. He didn’t agree with limiting eligibility. MARLENE PFEIFER addressed property rights and the argument of how people should be able to use their land. She felt the amendments should be consistent with the regulations and recommended going with the Planning Commission’s recommendation. JIM NELSON said their ranch should be designated as Zone 3 and not Zone 1 and explained the reasons why. LOGAN CRAIG, CYPRESS CREEK RENEWABLES provided comments and concerns on the recommendations of the proposed amendments. KATIE HEATH, REPRESENTING HEELSTONE ENERGY said they have been looking at development in Kittitas County and they have listened to the community and agreed with concerns relating to clarity of the overlay map and footprint which could potentially leave the door open for issues later. RACHEL DONAHUE, HEELSTONE ENERGY thanked the Board for their consideration of the proposal and said they are looking forward to bringing solar to Kittitas County and working with the community. CHAD UNLAND, WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES said they previously submitted comments and some of the parcels that are owned by the State were improperly categorized in a few of the zones. KAREN POULSON expressed her concerns and urged the Board to try and accommodate all landowner’s rights. PETER NESBIT felt consistency was extremely important when it comes to land use and how retail development in the solar world is changing. COLLEEN DONOVAN supported an aggressive ban on locating commercial solar on prime farmlands and urged the Board to protect them. STEFANIE WICKSTROM commented on how Ag-lands are what produces food and the County needs to be careful as those prime lands are very valuable and the Board is setting precedence for the future. JIM THORTON, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT reminded everyone that there’s a SEPA process with projects and at that time there would be a determination of any impacts. THERE BEING NO OTHERS REQUESTING TO TESTIFY, THE PUBLIC PORTION OF THE HEARING WAS CLOSED. COMMISSIONER JEWELL said it was not an easy issue as they are trying to protect irrigated and other valuable farm lands. He was concerned with their simplistic approach and there were many things that needed to be looked at again and redrawn based on both irrigated and