At their March 7 meeting, two representatives of Innovative Power Systems attended a public hearing scheduled for a conditional use permit for a solar garden they hope to install on the edge of Kimball. After lengthy discussion, including with the city?Äôs attorney Tom Jovanovich, the matter is tabled until Jovanovich can thoroughly review the contract, proposed rates, and the permitted use (including any shoreland management setbacks that may apply).
Glenn Winter and Steve Gohman own a 31.55-Acre parcel of land between the railroad tracks and Willow Creek Road in the southwest corner of Kimball, within city limits. They would like to lease about 8 Acres of that land to IPS for a community solar garden. The solar garden would include 3,888 solar panels, lined up on racks attached to I-beams in the ground, in rows with space to drive between them. There are no concrete footings. The panels will be 3 feet off the ground, standing 10 feet tall at a 30-degree angle. They won?Äôt move; the solar garden will have no sound, no glare, no motion, no stray energy. The ground will remain open, and planted with pollinator-friendly wildflowers. The capacity for the solar garden would be 1 Megawatt, within the current limit imposed by Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. IPS would install and maintain the garden, replacing panels as needed. The panels start to degrade at about 20 years, and are scheduled to be replaced at 25 years.
This site is ideal, IPS explains, because of its proximity to existing Xcel Energy infrastructure and distribution lines, and the physical characteristics of the land (which is currently being farmed). A security fence would be installed around the solar garden, and 10-foot black spruce trees planted as a screen from neighboring homes.
Mayor Tammy Konz took time during the March 7 city council meeting to honor John Gohmann who recently retired after 30 years of service, including six years as chief, from the Kimball Fire Department. Joining him are his family, current fire chief Mike Schneider, and other fire department members. Staff photo by Jean Doran matua.
The IPS lease for the land would be 25 years, with rental being negotiated directly with the land owners. Once installed, the city and any other Xcel Energy customer would be able to subscribe to the solar garden, offsetting part of their electric bills with credits for the solar energy produced.
Kimball is one of 40 1-MW projects they?Äôre working on this year. By next year they anticipate having about 600 MW in production (the equivalent of a nuclear plant).
The solar garden, IPS explains, is essentially rooftop solar panels without the rooftop.
The potential fly in the ointment, so to speak, is Willow Creek. The creek flows along the south and east side of this parcel, but not through it. If DNR requirements apply to this land use, then there would be a 200- or 300-foot setback; this would eliminate about one-fourth to one-third of the parcel from use as a solar garden. Jovanovich believes state requirements apply since the city has no shoreland management ordinance. IPS argues that it doesn?Äôt. Jovanovich will clarify the issue, in expedited fashion, before this project can be decided upon by the council.
At the public hearing, four individuals presented their opposition to the solar garden; all four live on Willow Creek Road.
Brian and Megan (acting as resident, not council member) Kiffmeyer live adjacent to the site. They are concerned about visual impact, having selected their home for its park-like setting, and the possible impact on property value. They are not against solar, just not sure this is the best site. There?Äôs insufficient information, since solar gardens are a relatively new thing, on how property values are affected, but Megan believes it?Äôs very likely that their value would drop.
Mike and Ramona Olk are against locating the solar garden on Willow Creek Road. They suggest a better location would be in the industrial park along Highway 15 on the north side of town.
Jovanovich suggested extending the time period for CUP another 60 days to consider setbacks, county engineering permit, screening and seeding, stormwater plan, and more. IPS suggested a Developer?Äôs Agreement as well, which will be drawn up. IPS will return to next month?Äôs council meeting for some resolution of the issues, and for the council?Äôs decision on granting whatever use permit may be required.
Mayor Tammy Konz wanted to honor John Gohmann who recently retired from the Kimball Fire Department after 30 years, six years as chief. Gohmann and his family came forward, as did fire chief Mike Schneider, and members of the fire department who were present.
The council opened the solitary bid for a new water hauler truck for the fire department. The bid was from Simon?Äôs in Farley, Iowa, for $143,783.74. The truck is a 2008 Freightliner tender, with 3000-gallon capacity. It will need to be customized yet, and it won?Äôt be here before the pancake breakfast April 9. Once up and running, the older truck will be sold.
The Emergency Management Department (Brian Kiffmeyer and Ed Borman) are preparing a hazard mitigation report to be submitted to the county. It includes risks like severe storms and tornadoes, terrorism, and train accidents. If something happens, there may be state and/or federal money available to the city for anything included in the report.
Public Works director Ed Borman wants to repair the south entry to city hall. The walls and door are separating to the point that it is not secure, or safe. He will take care of it. He also suggests that the wall of the elevator, damaged by the May 2015 Kimball tornado, should be taken down as it is now in danger of falling on someone. He also brought up replacing Christmas decorations for the city at a 25-percent discount; existing decorations are 10-11 years old and starting to decay.
Police chief Jason Mehr has okayed two individuals for police ride-alongs. He explained that there are a lot of rules they must abide by, and that they are not put at risk. He described small-town policing as 99 percent boredom and 1 percent sheer terror. He would like to purchase another rifle for the department so that each vehicle has both a shotgun and a rifle at all times.
The city?Äôs clean-up day will be Saturday, May 6, from 8-11 a.m. Same location and same procedure; added this year will be paper-shredding.
The council approved renewal of the cable television franchise with Arvig Communications.
The council discussed 83rd Avenue and the need for road work. The cost to fix the tar road (that wasn?Äôt done properly in the first place) will be about $500,000 and would be split between the city and Maine Prairie Township. But the city doesn?Äôt have their share of the money. It would cost almost $400,000 to return it to gravel, plus another $107,000 to blacktop it. The city will wait to hear after the March 14 township annual meeting.
The city will put cleaning of city hall, library, and shelter up for bid.
The next regular meeting of the Kimball city council will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 4, following the Kimball Board of Equalization from 6-6:30 p.m.
Several portions of 83rd Avenue, the eastern edge of Kimball city limits, have deteriorated over the past two or more years. Chunks of asphalt have loosened and are now missing. Road maintenance on 83rd Avenue is shared between the city of Kimball and Maine Prairie Township. Staff photo by Jean Doran Matua.