Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

all this here. We have plenty. Um, we good. We still recording in progress.

Good evening everybody. I appreciate all the all of you in the audience this evening. We are at uh the Tula County Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. Um in the chambers of the Twilla County Building, um the first order of business will be the pledge of allegiance and uh Tanya is going to lead us in that stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. That's great. Appreciate that. Uh thank you all for being here. Uh we'll do a roll call attendance. So, uh Commissioner Beckram here, Commissioner Scott here, Commissioner Alder here, and Commissioner Dao here, and Commissioner Hope is here. Thank you very much. Um, the next order of business is the uh um the approval of the minutes of the last scheduled meeting of September 3rd, 2025. Is there any questions, concerns, corrections, complaints?

Mr. Chairman, I make a motion we approve the minutes as posted. It's been I'll second that. It's been motioned to approve by Commissioner Scott, seconded by Commissioner Alder. Uh, is there any further discussion? Seeing none. Um, all those in favor say I. I. Thank you. It passes unanimously. Appreciate that. Um, the next uh order of business on the agenda is number four. It's land use ordinances. And I don't know who's going to present this. I'm assuming it's going to be Michelle. It is

TCLO2025-125. Thank you for Michelle for doing that. We're getting closer. Finding a replacement. Are you

Thank you, chair and planning commission. This is a request of staff on behunicity create an energy development zone which would allow for largecale energy projects to be able to be cited in that area. Tula County has chosen to do it as an overlay zone, which means it will not change the underlying zoning. So, if somebody came in and said, "I want my property be property to be considered for an energy development project," they could add the overlay zone to their property and still have the benefit of the underlying zoning district. That way if a large energy project did not come to their property, they aren't uh out what they could have done without the energy project. Uh in the code, as you will see, we've created some various energy uses solar farms and chairman hope asked at before the meeting started about if this superseded the setbacks and the solar farm code. It does not. This does not supersede any of the use codes. Uh all this is is a z overlay zone that will allow these uses to be placed on those properties. So solar farms.

Oh, sorry. Go ahead. I'm out of order, aren't I? No. So, but still in accordance with the application process, right? Correct. So, it's not by default. It's car blanch. It's correct.

It still has to follow the same application process. Okay. Permittal process. And as you can see, we recommend that they all the uses are conditional uses. They'll come before this body and any adverse impacts can be mitigated if we get an application. Uh so battery energy storage systems, small modular reactors, biomass and waste energy to facilities, carbon capture and storage substation, hydrogen production, nuclear research or testing facilities be similar to like what the University of Utah has, wind energy systems and geothermal facilities. Prohibited uses, this is important, are oil, gas and coal extraction and fossil fuel refining or coal fire generation. And one of those is are we're a non-attainment area for CMAC. Yes.

Is that because that would fall under mining operations, the oil that and the the potential pollutants. Okay. So, we're recommending that those be uh prohibited uses. And as you go through the rest of it, setbacks, height, all of that, it falls under our solar code, our wind turbine code. Um, this will not supersede any of that. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

As I read through this and was studying and reading up on it, um, came to mind we had a solar farm out on the Mormon Trail. That would be like the overlaid there, right? We didn't we didn't change we changed the zoning district there to allow for solar farms. So, they can put a solar farm in. They do not have to use this. Okay. But if not, we could have done an overlay. Correct. And not changed the underlying zone. Yes. Gotcha. Thank you. You're welcome. What is the zoning required for like a solar farm? Is it MG?

Yeah. I believe MU40. I think there's two zoning districts, Commissioner Down. I'm not sure off the top of my head what they are. Gotcha. MG may be one, but I believe MU40 is one and A20 maybe. And be aware of that for future reference. FYI, not that coming through. Well, the one that we proper time or not, don't know that we've discussed previously kind of halted, but um uh don't know what happened to it. But when it comes to to fruition again, if it does, then beware because things have changed,

right? So, there's development out there, access two developments out there now where they wanted to put it close to it. So, just FYI. I believe the larger agricultural zones allow it as well, Commissioner. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. Any other questions? I see you have a lot of public here for the public hearing. I was going to move to open up public hearing, but uh seeing none and online, uh I'll close public. Um is there any questions, concerns for Michelle, the applicants? Really?

Sorry. She She said, "Get out." My little one-year-old nephew is rounding up cows and he's like the best little cowboy you'll ever just send me a video. Sorry. That sounds much more entertaining. He is energy development. So it can go anywhere. What's that? Yes. If they come, they have to I think it is the MU. Yeah.

Yeah. Right. And again, I want to reiterate this doesn't supersede the process either, right? So, they still have to apply for a permit. They have to do all those everything they did with the solar in previously. They still have to do. This just allows them to have uh uh I guess more options per se. Is that a better way to put it? Yeah. Um but I still just I the governance of this needs to be watched I in my opinion carefully because somebody can just think oh I can cart blanch do it. No you cannot

it still has to go through the reszone process. It's handled the same way. I I envision what you'll see happen is there will there's going to be a study done to determine different areas within the state of Utah where these energy projects would be well suited. So I what I envision happening is after that study is done, property owners that are interested will come in and start getting this placed on their property. So when and if an energy project does come in, they are they can be considered. Yeah,

I like it because it doesn't I mean we're not sticking them out in Skull Valley, you know, anyone the possib there the possibilities there. We're not restricting someone and telling them what they can and can't use there. Yeah. I I it's kind of funny. I I find this interesting actually the states still going forward with this because I got I came just came from an clean energy conference and they were commenting on the hundreds and hundreds of solar farms that are shutting down. Wyoming Wyoming's huge and and cadmium I mean it's so funny that I won't say who knows nothing about cadmium. It's a big big deal.

Once the panels age out we're seeing that they're aging out the product and it's not cost effective. Is that what they're are aging out. That's why they're shut aging one and and and uh and what's the word looking for? Um damage. What's the Well, yeah. Word for it. The maintenance and stuff on it. The ground damage, the animal damage. It's it's it's the cadmium. Cadmium is so so bad. And they're putting them on private land owners ground. So all of a sudden, their ground is Well, one thing too, these clean energy, it's so funny. Thank you, Dr. I remember the conversation we had with that gentleman, you know, and the the again not me at the conference. They were saying the false promises that are promised in these things are not coming to fruition.

The rebates, the tax cuts or the tax breaks, you know, all these kind of things. No, I mean they they sell you a bundle, but some not comes true. So again, not my opinion. That's just what they were saying at this conference. Commercial solar is the same as residential solar. They sell you a pack of goods. Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, you know, it just it is what it is, but uh but obviously you got to come up with something. I mean, because to be Well, I mean, I like clean energy, but you there's certain ways to do it in my opinion. Certain ways not to do it. I mean, you got to regulate it, right? So, you got to think of something. I think this encourages people to do it the correct way,

you know, because it gives them a a sense of protection for their ground that they're not going to go and go through the whole reason process to change the zoning of their ground. They're just going to put an NGO over correct a layer. And and example, how many there are several houses that have tiny and I say tiny, they're tiny compared to the big big windmills. Windmills. Yeah. But they have those tiny ones that are totally effective, right, for a single use. So that allows this process to go smoother. I think is the way I read it. This would allow for a commercial size. Oh, it's commercial size, not Oh, I was gonna say private. Okay. I misunderstood cuz I No, it's commercial. That's why Well, then if it's just straight commercial, you really got to go by zoning. So, it doesn't give any

Yeah, these are for large scale energy developments like the wind farm on Mormon Trail. The wind farm for the solar farm on Mormon Trail. That is that Mormon and Silver? Yeah, that's yeah, that's that's the northern end of it. We don't know what's happening. So, no, we haven't heard from him from a couple of years, but they kind of it would be that side. So, okay. So, that said, okay, maybe I may maybe I didn't.

So, the state changed legislation last year that now allows other private energy entities to come in and not necessarily compete with Rocky Mountain. They can't feed into the grid, but you can have a large industrial project and now you can bring your own energy plant in your own energy source. But that's the way it was before though. So why that's what this would help facilitate this. We have a zone for but it's an overlay on our part. But I mean the states required by the federal government to do this now too. I mean it's so it makes a smoother process. I guess

it's to help identify areas. So if you want to come in and build a small nuclear small modular reactor, they are they do have a nuclear component. Um the small modular reactors and you want to provide power to South Rim phase two or even across the pond. Yeah, Rock Mountain power bill has gone ridiculous. So Oh my gosh, nuts. Yeah. Amen. This would give you areas that are identified with the overlay of where that would be placed. It's interesting you say that too because I think we learned Rocky speaking of Rocky Mountain, they're tired of this tobacco.

And so what it is because there are some that are plugging into the grid with no usage fees. So finally Rocky Mountain like, "Okay, fine. You want to plug into my grid? I'm going to charge you a connection fee. I'm going charge you a usage fee. I must charge you a sol a storage fee. Fine. I mean because they're losing money. Let's be honest. I'll find a way to make it. It's their utility, you know, and you're using their infrastructure. So, which is funny because I paid for my infrastructure, right? Right. Yeah. So, and let's move.

I have one more question. She she said something about the the nuclear component. Um, would this have anything to do with the state's re request to to do this? Would that have anything to do with the speculation that there is possibly a nuclear reactor going in the west side of our county? Not that has approached us. Okay. Well, and that's on that's on reservation land. So, we wouldn't see it. Which one? Oh, it is. Skull Valley Indian Reservation. So, we would not You heard it. You heard something already? Yeah. Oh, and this does not Okay. This does not include largecale nuclear at this time. There's still some bugs to be worked out on the state code on that. Gotcha.

But we Yeah, we might see that in Not that we wouldn't add it in the future. People are flipping about spent rods, let alone an extra plant. Yeah. Wait till it's gone. I wouldn't be surprised if it happens because the residents we we're just birthing everywhere with new homes. Cool. Mr. Chairman, I make I move that we make a favorable recommendation to the county council to approve the prop ordinance oh sorry the TCLO2025-125

second. So it has been motioned by Commissioner Scott, seconded by Commissioner Dao for a favorable favorable recommendation of TCLO 2025-125. Um is there any further discussion? Seeing none, um, we will do a roll call vote. Commissioner Beckrom, yes. Commissioner Scott, yes. Commissioner Alder, yes. Mr. Dao, yes.

And Commissioner Hope is a yes. Um, it's unanimous. So, thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. And move to German. Thank you. Awesome. That was easy. Short, sweet, to the point. And you guys made like 125 bucks an hour.