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Residents urge native plantings around new City Hall solar array; council expresses support
Summary
Residents told the council they want native grasses and pollinator-friendly plantings beneath the planned City Hall solar array; the council said it supports using pollinator vegetation and staff will follow up on design and seed sourcing.
Public commenters and environmental volunteers urged the St. Peter City Council on March 9 to pair the planned City Hall solar array with native grasses and pollinator plantings rather than gravel or turf.
Bill Horton, a nearby resident, said crews cut down two mature spruce trees before neighbors were informed and urged the council to mitigate the visual impact of the panels: "I didn't find out about it until they cut down 2 very large, beautiful, probably 40 year old spruces...those were literally swept away," he said. Cody Wyberg, representing community environmental groups including the First Lutheran Church Green Committee and Trinity Lutheran Church Green Team, recommended planting native grasses and pollinator-friendly wildflowers beneath and around the array, saying such plantings often require less long-term maintenance and support biodiversity. In the transcript Wyberg quoted a statutory reference: "Minnesota statute section 2 16 b 0.1642 allows solar projects to claim pollinator and wildlife habitat benefits when they follow vegetation standards developed by the Board of Water and Soil Resources." He also noted the grant-size threshold that informed some program rules and guidance.
Faith Wickland and Harriet Mason supported the approach: Wickland pointed to dozens of accredited sites across Minnesota and state toolboxes for funding and design, and Mason urged local seed sourcing so plantings match local day-length and seasonal cycles. City staff and the mayor told commenters the council had already discussed the project at a workshop and "are very supportive of installing pollinator plantings at that site," adding staff will follow up with the college and other partners about seed sources and management.
No formal change to the solar contract was adopted during the meeting; comments were heard during the visitor comment period and council members signaled direction to incorporate pollinator-friendly vegetation as the project design is finalized.
