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HomeMy WebLinkAbout19919 - RESOLUTIONS - 10/4/2000RESOLUTION NO. 19919 OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING DENIAL TO THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE REGARDING WECS NO. 103 FOR THE INSTALLATION OF 45 WIND TURBINES ON APPROXIMATELY 526 ACRES OF LAND AND WECS NO. 107 FOR THE INSTALLATION OF 39 WIND TURBINES ON 451 ACRES LOCATED IN UNINCORPORATED RIVERSIDE COUNTY, SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10, BETWEEN WHITEWATER CANYON, AND HIGHWAY 62, SECTION 13, T3S, R3E, SBBM AND SECTION 18 AND 19, T3S, R4E, SBBM (SPHERE OF INFLUENCE). WHEREAS, Mountain View Power Partners, LLC (previously Seawest Windpower, Inc.) (the "applicant") has filed two WECS Permit applications with the County of Riverside for the installation of a total of 84 wind turbines on a total of 977 acres, located in unincorporated Riverside County, south of Interstate 10 between Whitewates Canyon and Highway 62, Section 13, T3S, R3E, SBBM; and WHEREAS, development of this site is subject to approval by Riverside County; 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 and because the subject properties I are within the City Sphere of Influence; and WHEREAS, the site was recommended for a designation of "W" (Watercourse) and "D" (Desert) in conjunction with the annexation study for the northern area of the City in 1991- 92, and WHEREAS, the applications contemplate the installation of series wind turbines, generally in north/south arrays; and WHEREAS, the projects do not meet the City's scenic setback requirements from Interstate 10 and no natural features exist to provide a visual buffer between the northernmost wind turbines and Interstate 10, thereby creating a significant visual impact to the immediate area and western Coachella Valley; and WHEREAS, large portions of Interstate 10, between Highway 111 and Indian Canyon Drive; remain mostly undeveloped and serve as a predominately unspoiled scenic: corridor, with little or no visual impact on the natural desert surroundings, especially looking southerly along Interstate 10; and WHEREAS, since the late 1980's, only limited electric transmission lines have been installed and, with the exception of a few new billboards installed on reservation lands of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians (near the intersection of Highway 111 and Interstate 10). ' approximately three billboards exist along this section of Interstate 10, all of which, in all likelihood, have been in existence prior to 1982, all of which are on the north side of Interstate 10; and ?J Resolution 19919 Page 2 WHEREAS, only minimal natural features exist in close proximity to the Interstate 10 frontage for screening, thus creating a potentially significant visual impact to the immediate area as a result of the proposed scenic setback amendments; and WHEREAS, the City of Palm Springs has established a minimum scenic setback of 1315 ■■II feet (1/4 mile) along Interstate 10 between Whitewater River (the Whitewater Grade) and Highway 62; and WHEREAS, the visual impactwas determined to be significant, that the subject projects are more than two miles long, and that the subject properties provide an outstanding view of the Coachella Valley and San Jacinto Mountains; and WHEREAS, the Whitewater Grade, between the Whitewater River and Highway 62 provides a dramaticview of the entire Coachella Valley and San Jacinto Mountains and development of the subject parcel with 271-foot tall wind turbine generators will significantly degrade this scenic resource; and WHEREAS, the City Council reviewed the project at its meeting of October 05, 2000, and made recommendations to the County of Riverside that there is already considerable Wind Energy Conversion Sites within the western portion of the Coachella Valley and the San Gorgonio Pass area and that any additional WECS sites should be located as such to not reduce or alter the aesthetic quality and scenic beauty of the valley along the many scenic highways not only in the area of the western Coachella Valley, but also in the eastern Coachella Valley and throughout Riverside County. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that, based upon the foregoing, the City Council hereby presents comments regarding WECS No. 103 and 107 to the Riverside County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, finding thatthe proposed use as described should be denied for the reasons contained in the above facts, due to the negative aesthetic impacts Wind Energy Development of this specific site would have on this "Gateway" site at the west end of the Coachella Valley and the continued precedent of developing new WECS sites as opposed to retrofitting existing WECS sites with more efficientwind turbines. Comments are on file in the Office of the City Clerk, as forwarded to the County of Riverside. ADOPTED this4th day of October , 2000 AYES: Members Hodges, Jones, Oden, Reller—Spurgin and Mayor %leindienst NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None ATTEST: (CCITY OF PALM SPRINGS CALIFORNIA City Manager /J City Cler REVIEWED AND APPROVED: