Galen Kusic, Editor

On Tue., the Benicia City Council will have a huge decision to make on whether to approve an appeal to go forward with Renewable Properties’ Lake Herman Solar Project.

After a motion to amend the City’s current open space ordinance was shot down by the Planning Commission on May 28, Renewable Properties appealed the decision and the council will decide whether the project will move forward this evening.

Typical areas of concern from members of the public and the Planning Commission include, aesthetics (visual quality and glare) cumulative impacts, loss of open space, health and safety and wildfire hazards.

The site would comply with Measure K and a Solar Site Inventory Analysis was prepared in response to concerns received.

We’re excited about it,” said Renewable Properties President Aaron Halimi, who has been developing solar projects for 12 years. “It sounds like the majority of the community is excited about it as well.”

The project would increase Benicia’s solar output from 7.8 megawatts to 12.8 megawatts, an increase of 64 percent. Following the city’s recent Climate Action Plan to make bold steps to combat climate change, adding a solar project capable of powering 1,700 homes per year would be a big step toward reducing Benicia’s carbon footprint.

The 35-acre project on an 89 acre parcel of land would take an estimated five-six months of construction, and has undergone a full environmental review. The remaining 53 acres of the site will continue to support livestock grazing throughout the lifetime of the project, an estimated 35 years. An approximate 18,424 solar modules and 40 string inverters would convert solar energy into usable AC power.

By adding 5.0 Megawatts of clean, reliable solar energy, the project would interconnect to PG&E’s pre-existing electrical distribution system on site. That energy would then be sold to Marin Clean Energy (MCE) through a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

“I think this is an opportunity for us to go above and beyond and do more,” said Planning Commission Vice Chair Trevor Macenski. “I’m supportive of figuring out how to make this project work.”

While the motion was denied to approve the amendments to the current open space zoning ordinance, the City Council now has a chance to approve the project with modifications made following public comment and recommendations from the Planning Commission and City staff.

With an updated landscaping plan that includes improved visual screening from Lake Herman Rd. and the Bay Area Ridge Trail, there would be no impacts to current residential properties within the city limits.

The project is not expected to result in significant impacts to sensitive biological communities, special-status plant species, or special-status wildlife species. The project will also include the installation of a pollinator plant meadow, which will increase the surrounding biodiversity within a three-mile radius of the project.

The proposed landscape plan includes a vegetative screen consisting of coffeeberry shrubs along the southern border of the project site to limit the visibility of the solar panels. Interior Live Oak and Scrub Oaks will also be planted.

The project will not generate any additional traffic post-construction and is not expected to generate a significant amount of noise (37 decibles from 50 ft. away).

Of the 159 open space parcels located within the City, only eight of those parcels meet solar industry standards. In other words, this was by far the best possible site available for a solar project of this size. The project would account for a loss of less than three percent of the City’s open space.

The project would only be six to eight feet at its highest point, and would not obstruct any “key” scenic views or vistas, according to Renewable Properties.

One of the more beneficial and sustainable aspects of the project is the lack of water consumption. Water will be trucked in from an outside source to irrigate and clean solar panels an estimated two times a year. No water will be taken from the City of Benicia’s municipal, groundwater or sewer service.

The project would also coordinate with the Fire Department to create appropriate fire breaks around the perimeter.

“When people say “think globally, act locally” this is exactly the sort of action they are talking about,” said resident Larnie Fox in a letter to the council. “While no one wants to lose open space, obtaining enough clean energy for 1,700 Benicia households is a big step in the right direction.”