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Home My WebLink About9/15/1999 - STAFF REPORTS (9) " . 1 DATE: September 15, 1999 TO: City Council FROM: Director of Planning &Building CASE NO. 20.149 (COUNTY REFERRAL) - AN APPLICATION BY CABAZON WIND PARTNERS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF NINETY-TWO (92) 660- KW WIND TURBINES ON APPROXIMATELY 636.8 ACRES OF LAND(WECS NO. 104) LOCATED IN UNINCORPORATED RIVERSIDE COUNTY, SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10 AND IMMEDIATELY WEST OF THE EXISTING CABAZON WIND FARM , SECTION 13, T3S, R2E, SBBM RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council present comments to the County of Riverside regarding the above application by Cabazon Wind Partners for the installation of ninety-two(92)660-kW wind turbines at the location described above, recommending that the installation of turbines in "flat" land areas (A-1 through A-24, B-1 through B-25, C-19 through C-25, D-1 through D-9 and E-1 through E-9) as shown on the conceptual site plan is an appropriate continuation of the existing Cabazon Wind Energy area, but that the installation of all proposed wind turbines in ridgeline situations(C-1 through C-18)is not appropriate given the potential visual impacts to the surrounding area or consistent with the City's General Plan goals, objectives and policies regarding visual resources. BACKGROUND: The Riverside County Planning Department has submitted the above project application to the City as a courtesy review due to its location at the "gateway"to the Coachella Valley and in close proximity to the City limit of Palm Springs. However, the project is not located within the City's Sphere of Influence nor within the area studied with the annexation of the northern sphere area several years ago. The property in zoned W-E (Wind Energy) by the County of Riverside. The project contemplates the installation of 92 660 kW wind turbines, generally in five north/south arrays. Roughly two-thirds of the site is relatively flat in nature, while the southeast third of the site consists of a mountain slope that ascends approximately 800 feet above the valley floor. A majority (74 of the 92 turbines) are proposed to be located on the "flat" areas of the site. These turbines are proposed to be approximately 290 feet in height, as measured from finish grade to the top of the rotor. The eighteen wind turbines proposed on the ridgeline of the site are proposed to be approximately 208 feet in height, as measured from finished grade to top of rotor. The project includes a 6,000 square foot storage building, employee parking and an electrical substation near the northwest corner of the site. The applicant intends to stockpile dirt on-site up to a maximum of 6 feet in height in a 35,000 square foot area along the west property line. ,6,4 ;- ANALYSIS: The project has been designed to comply with all applicable County of Riverside development criteria(ex. wind access and safety setbacks) for Wind Energy Conversion Systems (WECS). Additionally, a 1315-foot (1/4 mile) setback is proposed along the Interstate 10 corridor, consistent with City setback requirements through the Whitewater Grade area. The proposed wind turbines do exceed the City's current maximum height allowance of 200 fat,but the Planning Commission has approved Variances for height for wind turbines up to 296 fat within the City limits, understanding that, with advances in technology, fewer larger and more efficient wind turbines are preferred to vast arrays of smaller, less efficient wind turbines in most situations. The primary issue for City Council consideration is the visual impacts associated with additional wind turbines in this area. As stated earlier, the proposed location of the Wind Energy Conversion Site is generally in an area that would appear as a continuation of the wind energy array immediately east of this site, commonly referred to as the Cabazon Wind Farm. The 74 wind turbines proposed on the "flat" portions of the site are of a similar height, size and in a similar setting compared to the existing Zond turbines on the adjacent site to the east. Staff feels that flat land portion of the development is an appropriate and logical extension of the existing wind energy development in the area, as long as tubular steel lattice towers are used and have a grey matte exterior finish,matching the adjacent wind towers. However, staff is concerned with the proposed location of the 18 wind turbines on the ridgeline of the southeastern two-thirds of the site,both in context with the WECS development immediately east of the site and, in the larger picture, with the visual impacts that would be created at this important view corridor to the Coachella Valley when traveling eastbound in Interstate 10. This portion of the site where the 18 wind turbines are proposed to be located is on a highly prominent ridgelme on the south side of Interstate 10, west of Highway 111. Under the Open Space Land Use Designation within the City of Palm Springs General Plan, the installation of wind turbines on ridgelines is discouraged, due to the sharp visual contrast between the verticality of the wind turbine structures and the predominately horizontal nature of the ridgelines, as well as the landform alterations associated with grading for access roads and footings for individual wind turbines. Staff feels that the striking contrast between the vertical wind turbine structures and the horizontal ridgehnes and the visibility of the graded access roads would have a detrimental aesthetic impact to the area. Examples of the potential visual impacts include while traveling eastbound along Interstate 10, given the importance of this site as part of the visual "gateway" to the Coachella Valley, as well as while traveling westbound in Interstate 10, where the readily visible ridgeline wind turbines would negatively alter the natural condition of the base area of Mount San Jacinto. Therefore,staff would recommend that the City Council recommend that no further ridgeline development of WECS should be allowed to minimize further detrimental visual impacts from all vantage points in the Coachella Valley, consistent with the City's General Plan. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: An oral update of the Planning Commission action will be presented at the City Council meeting. ,&A, -g. t��) DOUG Sat. EVANS, Director, and Building O City ATTACHMENTS: • 1. Vicinity Map 2. Resolution � 3 ��'\..��►�s'' 1C �i,,,..., `. �J�� -yam; Morn. ray. 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'r' opwl Ott \ry_ 1 �■ MAW 1113 VIA MEN .i r-"!'fit. � Jil �►� RESOLUTION NO. 19643 OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, REGARDING CASE NO. 20.149, AN APPLICATION BY CABAZON WIND PARTNERS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF NINETY- TWO (92) 660-KW WIND TURBINES ON APPROXIMATELY 636.8 ACRES OF LAND(WECS NO. 104) LOCATED IN UNINCORPORATED RIVERSIDE COUNTY, SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10 AND IMMEDIATELY WEST OF THE EXISTING CABAZON WIND FARM , SECTION 13, T3S, R2E, SBBM WHEREAS, Cabazon Wind Partners (the "applicant") has Sled an application with the County of Riverside Planning Department for a proposal to install a total of 92 660-kW wind turbines on approximately 636.8 acres of land in unincorporated Riverside County, south of Interstate 10 and immediately west of the existing Cabazon Wind Farm, Section 13, T3S, R2E, SBBM; and WHEREAS, development of this site is subject to approval by the County of Riverside Board of Supervisors; and WHEREAS, the Riverside County Planning Department has submitted the application as described above to the City as a courtesy review, due to its potential for creating detrimental environmental impacts within the City of Palm Springs, because the subject property is in close proximity to properties that were 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 application contemplates the installation of a total of 92 660-kW wind turbines, generally in a series of five north/south arrays; and WHEREAS, 74 of the 92 wind turbines (A-1 through A-24, B-1 through B-25, C-19 through C-25, D-1 through D-9 and E-1 through E-9) are proposed to be approximately 290 feet in overall height (as measured from finish grade to top of rotor) and located on sites that have a relatively minimal natural slope; and WHEREAS, 18 of the 92 wind turbines (C-1 through C-18) are proposed to be approximately 208 feet in height (as measured from finish grade to top of rotor) and located on a natural ridgeline that exists on the southeastern one-third of the project area; and WHEREAS,an objective of the City of Palm Springs General Plan is to discourage 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; and WHEREAS, the contrast between the vertical wind turbine structures and the horizontal ridgelines and the visibility of the graded access roads would have a detrimental aesthetic impact to the area as seen while traveling eastbound along Interstate 10; and b R19643 Page 2 15b WHEREAS, the site is located in an area that serves the visual "gateway"to the Coachella Valley from eastbound Interstate 10, and the proposed ridgeline development would be readily visible while traveling either direction on Interstate 10, impacting the view of the base area of Mount San Jacinto; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission reviewed the project at its meeting of September 8, 1999, and made recommendations to the City Council that are recommended to be forwarded on to the County of Riverside; and WHEREAS, the City Council reviewed the project at its meeting of September 15, 1999, and made recommendations to the County of Riverside prior to the September 22, 1999 public comment deadline; and WHEREAS, if approved by the County of Riverside, all approved wind turbines should have a lattice-type tower and all towers and appurtenances should receive an exterior color finish treatment that blends with the natural surroundings and with the color of the existing wind energy development immediately to the east as much as possible and any outdoor advertising should be eliminated from the site. NOW, THEREFORE, BE rr RESOLVED that, based upon the foregoing, the City Council hereby presents comments regarding of Case No. 20.149 to County of Riverside Board of Supervisors, recommending that: 1. The installation of the 74 wind turbines in "flat" land situations would serve as a logical continuation of the existing WECS immediately east of the site in question and would be an appropriate application of additional wind turbines, based on the conceptual site plan for the project; and 2. The installation of the 18 wind turbines on the ridgeline on the southeastern one- third of the site is inconsistent with the objective of the Open Space land use category within the City's General Plan regarding wind energy development, specifically that,due to the sharp visual contrast between the verticality of the wind turbine structures and the predominately horizontal nature of the ridgelines,as well as the landform alterations associated with grading for access roads and footings for individual wind turbines,wind energy development on the ridgeline as proposed is opposed. ADOPTED this 15th day of Seotemberl999. AYES: Members Barnes, Oden, Reller-Spurgin NOES: Member Hodges and Mayor Kleindienst ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None ATTEST: CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA By City Clerk City Manager REVIEWED AND APPROVED AS TO FORM: