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HomeMy WebLinkAbout19643 - RESOLUTIONS - 9/15/1999 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 filed 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 tl 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 Rage 19643 Page 2 2 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 IT 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 ridgelin e as proposed is opposed. ADOPTED this 15th day of September 1999. AYES: Members Barnes, Oden, Fteller-Spurgin NOES: Member Hodges and Mayor Kleindienst ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None ATTEST: CITY OF P LM SPRINGS, C LIFORNIA By City Clerk ity Manager REVIEWED AND APPROVED AS TO FORM: �/