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Planning staff warn of surge in renewable projects, transmission line pre-application outreach
Summary
Planning director Tamara Mabaugh briefed the board on multiple renewable-energy applications (including Sunstone Solar purchased by AWS and a potential smaller solar pre-application), a phased approval of a large project, and pre-application public outreach for the Pacific Core 31.8-mile transmission line; a Boardman public outreach meeting at the Sage Center was announced.
Tamara Mabaugh, planning director, told commissioners the county is seeing a significant number of renewable-energy applications and related transmission proposals.
Mabaugh said the Sunstone Solar project has been purchased by AWS, which is working with Gallatin Power on development, and that the state approved breaking that project into four phases. She said the county is processing a separate smaller pre-application solar project under local jurisdiction and that staff expect complex application materials requiring substantial review.
On transmission issues, Mabaugh said the Pacific Core 31.8-mile transmission-line project will require public outreach six months before application submission under state statute; staff and commissioners have met with the developer and a public meeting was scheduled in Boardman at the Sage Center.
"We're happy to process them. It's just a lot of application, not just because of the size, but because those applications have a lot of attachments," Mabaugh said, describing the administrative burden and the need to coordinate with state review processes.
Planning staff also reported a unanimous planning commission recommendation (with one abstention) on the Tower Road interchange area management plan; that item will come to the board on Aug. 5. Staff flagged a potential US Navy grant to support overflow planning capacity and proposed a planning firm-of-record on the consent agenda to help with current planning workload.
Steven (public works) presented a related operational update: a drone-based volumetric survey of 11 county pit sites flown June 11-25 produced an estimated 225,504 cubic yards of stockpiled material; staff delivered ortho-mosaic imagery and 3-D models to finance for asset-accountability reporting.
Commissioners and staff discussed expanding contract support to handle the application workload and ensuring public outreach processes are followed for land-use and transmission matters.
