Planning commission approves Campbell Lake substation upgrade, grants two variances

The Planning and Zoning Commission approved the Campbell Lake Substation replacement and granted two variances after staff concluded the applicant met approval criteria given site constraints and preserved mature vegetation.

Taryn Lisonbee, planner for the applicant, said the proposal replaces aging equipment, installs two new transformers with three-sided concrete barriers for noise and visual buffering, reduces the fenced substation footprint slightly and adds new ornamental fencing. "The substation project and this upgrade is really essential, not just for the neighborhood, but for the grid overall," Lisonbee said.

Neighbors voiced strong concerns about proximity of new transformers to adjacent homes, the presence of security wire atop the fence, and whether the proposed supplemental vegetation would be adequate. Janice Zilko, speaking on behalf of an adjacent homeowner, said two 15-foot transformers would be located less than 25 feet from a nearby house and asked the commission to require additional screening. "This design places the burden of the CEA rebuild disproportionately on the family next door when additional options appear feasible," Zilko said.

CEA's engineering and design team defended the layout as balancing security, access needs and neighborhood character. The commission approved three separate motions on the record: the planting-bed-width variance, the fence-height variance (0.5 feet), and the conditional-use permit for the upgraded substation; all motions carried. Commissioners noted the applicant removed a previously proposed communications tower, reoriented equipment to preserve vegetation, and added working-group-driven design changes, but urged continued engagement to resolve neighbor concerns about screening and sightlines.