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9. Solar Landscaping Report- Staff memo to PC 11.5 Memorandum To: Scandia Planning Commission Reference: Condition of Landscaping at Scandia Solar Gardens Copies To: Ken Cammilleri, City Administrator Brenda Eklund, City Clerk Project #: 17123.000 From: Merritt Clapp-Smith, Planner Date: October 29, 2019 SUBJECT: Status of Landscaping at Community Solar Gardens in Scandia based on October 2019 inspections MEETING DATE: November 5, 2019 BACKGROUND INFORMATION In October, I inspected the condition of landscaping installations at the city’s major solar gardens. The inspections were needed to determine how well the landscaping was growing, and consequently to decide if the escrows guaranteeing the plantings could be released. My inspections found the planting groups to be in generally healthy condition with good to strong survival rates for the planted trees and for the native grasses and perennials. The shrubs, however, struggled in most locations, with strong evidence of deer grazing. A number of the dead trees had also fallen victim to deer activity, in the form of antler rubbing that stripped the bark. On the next page is a table summarizing the landscaping condition of each installation, the amount of the escrow, and the escrow deadline. In the last column, I have suggested whether replacement landscaping is needed before the escrow is returned. On the subsequent pages are photos or plans from the inspection sites, indicating the condition of plantings. Scandia Planning Commission November 5, 2019 Solar garden landscaping inspections in October 2019 Page 2 of 6 Solar Gardens in Scandia and Summary of Landscaping Inspections done in October 2019 Site Escrow Escrow Period Evergreens Survival Rate Deciduous Survival Rate Shrubs Survival Rate Notes Replacement Needed? 1 Konista Solar at Manning & Hwy 97 (Scandia Tr N), NW corner (former gravel pit) $ 4,000.00 Review by Nov. 2017 East - 75% South - 100% East - 40% South - 0% East - 0% South - 100% East side planting screen almost non-existent. Panels about 100 yards from Manning and at a lower elevation, so visibility is limited. North side plantings growing great, plus thick screen of existing trees and shrubs on the berm. MAYBE Additional planting on East side? 2 EVS / Blattner Solar 11480 Scandia Trail N $ 485,000.00 Review by Nov. 2018 76%NA 30% Shrub survival modest; most are heavily deer chewed. NO Good tree growth to provide screen at full size. Seems pointless to replace shrubs given deer grazing. 3 Argo Nevis / Zavoral Solar at Hwy 97 & Hwy 95 $ 75,000.00 Review by Nov. 2019 90%90%NA Trees doing very well.NO Strong growth. 4 Oldfield Ave $ 173,437.50 Review by July 2019 86%96%17% Trees doing very well. Shrubs absent or deer chewed. NO Living trees of decent thickness. eems pointless to replace shrubs. 5 Hogle $ 1,800.00 Review by Nov. 2019 100%66%NA 1 dead crabapple YES Solar installer asked to replace the dead crabapple in spring 2020. 6 Wolford Solar at Manning Ave $ 35,000.00 Review by Sept 2020 Scandia Planning Commission November 5, 2019 Solar garden landscaping inspections in October 2019 Page 3 of 6 EVS / Blattner Solar Installation – 11480 Scandia Trail North This picture shows some of the dogwood plantings along the northern property line. These shrubs are healthy and tall, unlike the 70% that are deer chewed and low, or nonexistent. The dogwoods and other shrubs that are heavily surrounded by native grasses are less grazed by deer than the more visible shrubs. This picture shows the spruce along the northern property line. Over 75% of the spruce are thriving. The other 25% of spruce, that are either struggling or dead, are evenly distributed among the live trees, making their absence less noticeable from a distance. This picture is taken along the western property line, where the spruce are similarly successful and the shrubs similarly sparse. The native grasses and perennials on all sides are thick and healthy. Scandia Planning Commission November 5, 2019 Solar garden landscaping inspections in October 2019 Page 4 of 6 Konista Solar – NW corner of Manning and Highway 97 This picture along the eastern property line shows a few trees far apart from one another and no shrubs. The proposed eastern planting line was thin in the proposed planting plan and only 40% of plantings remain today. This picture shows 2 spruce and a shrub along the southern property line next to Hwy 97. The solar installation is at a lower elevation than the roadside and the roadside has a thick row of pre-existing trees and shrubs. The planting plan added spruce, deciduous and shrubs to the existing vegetation and all are thriving. This picture was taken from the roadside of Highway 97, looking into the one gap within the pre-existing screen of trees and shrubs. The planted spruce and deciduous in the gap area are all growing well and will fill the visual gap when fully grown. Scandia Planning Commission November 5, 2019 Solar garden landscaping inspections in October 2019 Page 5 of 6 Oldfield Avenue Solar This picture shows the berm along the Oldfield Avenue side of the solar installation. The evergreen and deciduous trees are growing well, with an average 91% success rate. This picture shows another portion of the planted berm along Oldfield Avenue. The couple of shrubs in front of the trees are among only 17% that have survived site wide. Most shrubs are deer chewed to the ground or non-existent. This picture shows the northern property line. The one dead spruce shown is rare among this otherwise thriving planted row of evergreens and deciduous. Existing trees and shrubs along the property line form a second layer of visual screen from the north. Scandia Planning Commission November 5, 2019 Solar garden landscaping inspections in October 2019 Page 6 of 6 Argo Nevis / Zavoral Solar – Highways 95 & 95 This shows the original planting plan for the Argo Nevis solar installation at the Zavoral property. The orange highlights on the plan indicate where the plantings were actually installed. Former City Administrator Neil Soltis said that the planting plan was modified from the original after complaints from the property owner to the south. The current plantings (1) form a screen closer to the road; and (2) do not run north to south along the southern portion of the west property line. The neighbor to the south asked not to have his views of the river valley blocked by trees. The Argo Nevis solar installation is at a significantly lower elevation than the public right-of-ways and therefore is barely visible with or without the plantings in place.