Vote — approved

Thomas Galvin	yes
Kate Brophy McGee	yes
Mark Stewart	yes
Debbie Lesko	yes
Steve Gallardo	yes

Ayes: Thomas Galvin, Kate Brophy McGee, Mark Stewart, Debbie Lesko, Steve Gallardo

Item Text

6. SUN BASIN I SOLAR PROJECT Case #: Z2024039 Supervisor District: 4 Applicant & Owner: Steve Morgan / Longroad Land Holdings II, LLC Request: Zone Change with Overlay from Rural-190 to IND-2 IUPD with Plan of Development (PD) for battery energy storage and other ancillary uses to support solar energy generation Site Location: Generally located at the NEC of 363rd Ave and Narramore Rd. in the Tonopah area Commission Recommendation: On 12/5/24, the Commission voted 6-0 (motion by Schlosser D4, seconded by Montoya D5) to adopt a motion recommending the Board of Supervisors approve Z2024039 subject to conditions ‘a’ – ‘i’: a. A Plan of Development is approved subject to site plan entitled “Sun Basin I Solar Project” consisting of 8 full-size sheets, dated August, 2024, and stamped received September 26, 2024. The Plan of Development may be amended administratively under separate application as long as the amendment complies with the established IUPD development standards as approved by the Board of Supervisors. Staff may determine slight refinements to remain in substantial conformance with the approved site plan. Minor and major amendments to the site plan will be determined in accordance with Chapter 3 of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance. b. Development of the site shall be in substantial conformance with the Narrative Report entitled “Sun Basin I Solar Project”, consisting of 15 pages, dated August 2024, and stamped received September 26, 2024, except as modified by the following conditions. c. The following MCDOT conditions shall apply: 1. Narramore Road is classified as a minor arterial east of 355th Ave requiring dedication of a 55-foot half street from the section line. 2. Perimeter section lines alignment of the proposed development requires building setbacks to start from a future half street of 55-feet per the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance Section 1105. 3. Traffic study doesn’t require and additional R/W and offsite roadway improvements due to low traffic volumes anticipated post construction. However, during construction the site is anticipated to add approximately 300 vehicles (mostly delivery trucks) to Wintersburg road per day. Additional signage and/or pavement marking may be required during construction phase of the project. 4. No new access driveways are proposed nor granted for the proposed site. d. The following Planning Engineering conditions shall apply: 1. During building permit phase utilize an engineering scale that our inspectors have a ruler scale for. 2. Site is in a special flood hazard area which will require obtaining flood use permits and all structures and/or solar arrays to be at or above the regulatory flood elevation in accordance with the Maricopa County Floodplain Regulations. 3. Grading and drainage plans must comply with the County approved drainage waiver DRB240002. If a waiver is not granted the design shall default to the County’s standard retention and drainage requirements. 4. Channels routing offsite flows must be sized and maximum channel velocities in accordance with the Maricopa County Drainage design manuals 5. Engineering review of planning and/or zoning cases is for conceptual design only. All development and engineering design shall be in conformance with Section 1205 of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance; Drainage Policies and Standards; Floodplain Regulations for Maricopa County; MCDOT Roadway Design Manual; and current engineering policies, standards, and best practices at the time of application for construction. 6. Based on the conceptual design nature of the information submitted, changes to the site layout may be necessitated by the final engineering design of the site’s drainage infrastructure. 7. Detailed grading and drainage (site infrastructure) plans must be submitted with the application for building permits. e. The following IUPD standards shall apply: 1. Min. front setback: 100’ 2. Min. side setback: 100’ 3. Min. rear setback: 100’ 4. Min. street-side setback: 100’ 5. Min. setback to residential properties: 500’ 6. Loading and unloading: non required 7. Site screening: minimum 6’ chain link fence topped with an additional 1’ barbed wire 8. Barbed and concertina wire: may not be less than 6’ from natural grade 9. Surface material: drive and parking areas may be gravel surface with compacted subgrade of native soil 10. Permitted uses: limited to solar energy generation, battery energy storage systems and ancillary uses f. Prior to approval of construction permits for the site documentation of compliance to the Arizona Game and Fish Department recommendations provided in the comment letter dated May 13, 2024, must be provided to the Planning and Development Department. g. Prior to approval of construction permits for the site written documentation from Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station must be provided stating an approved emergency response plan is in place. h. Prior to issuance of a building permit, written confirmation will be required from the emergency fire protection jurisdiction having authority that emergency fire protection service will be provided to the facility. Prior to issuance of the certificate of occupancy, local fire protection jurisdiction review and approval will be required. i. The granting of this change in use of the property has been at the request of the applicant, with the consent of the landowner. The granting of this approval allows the property to enjoy uses in excess of those permitted by the zoning existing on the date of application, subject to conditions. In the event of the failure to comply with any condition, the property shall revert to the zoning that existed on the date of application. It is, therefore, stipulated and agreed that either revocation due to the failure to comply with any conditions does not reduce any rights that existed on the date of application to use, divide, sell or possess the property and that there would be no diminution in value of the property from the value it held on the date of application due to such revocation of the zone change. The zone change enhances the value of the property above its value as of the date the zone change is granted and reverting to the prior zoning results in the same value of the property as if the zone change had never been granted. (C-44-25-071-X-00)