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4.c 3 discussion with Chase Peloquin AssessorFrom: Sherri A. Buss <sherri.buss@tkda.com> Sent: Monday, March 7, 2016 11:13 AM To: n.soltis@ci.scandia.mn.us Subject: discussion with Chase Peloquin, Assessor Neil, I talked with Chase on Friday about data and comments he has related to the impacts of solar gardens/farms on the values of surrounding properties. His comments were the following: * The first solar gardens will be constructed in Chisago County in 2016, so they do not yet know if there will be impacts to the values of properties in the area. * The County would track any changes in values as properties in the area are sold, and if properties sell for less or more than comparable properties, values would be adjusted. * The Assessors Office in Chisago County have looked at studies in other places about the impacts of solar facilities on property values. The studies are inconclusive. Some studies show increases in property values, and others show no change or decreases. * Chase conclusions about the study outcomes is that so many factors influence the value of an individual parcel (such as the characteristics of the house, school district, other location factors, etc.) that it is hard to draw conclusions about the impacts of a solar garden. * The only solar facility that was constructed in Chisago County to date is a very large solar facility that was permitted by the PUC, not the County. It covered 900 acres, and produces 100 megawatts of power, so it is very different from the solar gardens. That is the facility that surrounded several residential parcels and eventually bought them out. It was not possible to screen the views of this large facility from the adjacent uses. * Chase believes that screening will be a key issue in potential impacts on surrounding properties, but there is no data to prove that yet.