HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Resolution _4651RESOLUTION NO. 4651
OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, PROVIDING
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BUREAU OF LAND
MANAGEMENT REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT NO. CA-066-99-27 - AN APPLICATION
BY ENERGY UNLIMITED, INC. FOR A PROPOSAL
TO AMEND RIGHT-OF-WAY GRANT CACA-17192,
WHICH WOULD ADD FORTY-TWO (42) ACRES OF
PUBLIC LANDS TO THE EXISTING GRANT FOR THE
PURPOSE OF INSTALLING SIX (6) ONE -MEGAWATT,
300-FOOT TALL NORDEX WIND TURBINE
GENERATORS, LOCATED ON PUBLIC LANDS IN
UNINCORPORATED RIVERSIDE COUNTY,
EASTERLY OF WHITEWATER CANYON ROAD AND
NORTHERLY OF INTERSTATE 10, SECTION 2, T3S,
R3E, SBBM.
WHEREAS, Energy Unlimited, Inc. (the "applicant") has filed an application with the
Bureau of Land Management for a proposal to amend a right-of-way grant to add 42 acres
of public lands for the installation of 6 300-foot tall Nordex 1 mW wind turbines on public
lands in unincorporated Riverside County, easterly of Whitewater Canyon Road and
northerly of Interstate 10, Section 2, T3S, R3E, SBBM; and
WHEREAS, development of this site is subject to approval by the United States
Department of the Interior/Bureau of Land Management; and
WHEREAS, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has submitted the Environmental
Assessment for this project to the City in accordance with a recorded Settlement
Agreement between the BLM and the City of Palm Springs, which requires the BLM to
forward all Environmental Review materials to the City for a thirty (30) day review and
.comment period in the event that any current or future right-of-way holder proposes to
make any substantial change to their plan of operation or to modify their right-of-way
grant; and
WHEREAS, the subject property was studied in conjunction with the annexation of the
northern portions of the city and the sphere -of -influence in 1991-92 and is near the current
city limit; and
WHEREAS, the entire site was recommended for a designation of " C " (Conservation) in
conjunction with the annexation study for the northern area of the City in 1991-92, where
development would typically be limited and the preservation of the land as open space is
h encouraged; and
WHEREAS, the southern portion of the site was recommended to be within a Wind
Energy Overlay District in conjunction with the above annexation study, where the
development of wind energy production facilities is permitted; and 0
WHEREAS, the application contemplates the installation of 6 Nordex 1 mW wind
turbines, in a north/south array; and
WHEREAS, the development contemplated under this application is the second phase of
a three-phase upgrade of the existing WECS, where a total of 90 older model wind turbines
will be replaced with 19 technologically advanced wind turbines of higher capacity and
greater efficiency; and
WHEREAS, the new wind turbines are proposed to be located on rim and slope areas of
Painted Hill, on a prominent ridgeline on the east side of the community of Bonnie Bell,
where the viewsheds are much more prominent than a majority of the existing wind
turbines in WECS 71, which are located on top of Alta Mesa, on ridgelines west of Bonnie
Bell; and
WHEREAS, in 1992, Mesa Wind Developers entered into a Settlement Agreement and
relocated 24 wind turbines to locations further west on the ridge of Alta Mesa, beyond the
viewshed of the community of Bonnie Bell, to mitigate visual and noise concerns raised
by residents of Bonnie Bell; and
WHEREAS, the BLM Environmental Assessment for the proposed project identifies (�
landform and visual impacts as a result of the proposed project as a residual environmental �✓
impact, even after mitigation measures have been imposed upon the proposed development;
and
WHEREAS, the Environmental Assessment included a Project Alternatives analysis in
accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Guidelines; and
WHEREAS, a Visual Resource Management Evaluation was prepared in accordance with
the requirements of the BLM and NEPA to specifically assess the visual environment and
resulting contrast of the visual environment from Bonnie Bell; and
WHEREAS, the Visual Resource Management Evaluation concluded that strategic
locations in less visible or less sensitive areas which minimize disturbance and repetition
of basic elements should be considered; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission reviewed the project and the Environmental
Assessment for the application at its meeting of June 14, 1999, and made recommendations
to the BLM to consider potential mitigations as recommended in the Visual Resource
Management Evaluation prepared in conjunction with the Environmental Assessment for
the project.
Ee
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that, based upon the foregoing, the Planning
Commission of the City of Palm Springs recommends as follows:
1. Based upon the recommendations of the Visual Resource Management Evaluation,
recommending further alternative site/locational studies, and the City of Palm
Springs General Plan objective of discouraging WECS development in ridgeline
and steep slope situations due to the visual impacts created by the turbines and
landform alterations associated with grading for access roads and footings for
individual wind turbines for areas designated for Open Space land uses, that the
applicant explore alternative locations for the new turbines to mitigate any further
landform alterations and the further deterioration of the aesthetic quality of
ridgelines east of Whitewater Canyon, outside of any areas of visibility from the
community of Bonnie Bell.
ADOPTED this 14`h day of July , 1999.
AYES: Mills, Fontana, Raya, Klatchko, Matthews, Caffery, Jurasky
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
ATTEST: CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA
By
P1 ing Commission Chairman PIanning Commission Secretary
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