Ventura River Water District
Solar panels at the Parker facility are shown in blue.
Senior Reporter
Ventura River Water District
Solar panels at the Parker facility are shown in blue.
The Ventura River Water District Board of Directors on Dec. 17 adopted a resolution exempting a solar project from county zoning ordinances.
The project, dubbed “SPARK” (Sustainable Power Array for Renewable Kilowatts), will involve the installation of solar panels at the district’s Parker Pump Station at Sumac and Highland drives and at the district’s Baldwin Road facility on Old Baldwin Road.
“The project will generate and provide energy for the transmission and storage of water at the district’s critical infrastructure facilities (wells, pumps, treatment plant and booster stations), supporting operational continuity during power outages and emergencies, and provide essential firefighting capabilities during fire events,” said VRWD General Manager Alma Quezada in a memo to the board.
The solar project will lock in electric rates for 20 years, saving $2.6 million, according to VRWD.
The district completed the environmental review required by California law, including a public review period, and all public comments were addressed, the memo stated.
VRWD noticed a public hearing to provide input on the proposed exemption, and notices were mailed to all property owners within 600 feet of the project sites, where notices were also posted.
According to government code, the board of a local agency can — with a four-fifths vote and after a public hearing — override city or county zoning ordinances for proposed property uses for projects related to water or electrical energy storage and transmission, as long as there’s no feasible alternative.
As an example of a county zoning ordinance that could present a conflict, both of VRWD’s proposed sites are within a Habitat Connectivity and Wildlife Corridor overlay, which would require review from the Ventura County Planning Division.
The goal of the overlay zone is to minimize barriers to wildlife and plant connectivity and to protect vulnerable areas critical to the movement of wildlife.
“The exemption is necessary because there is no feasible alternative to this project at the project sites due to the space required for the solar panel locations and proximity to the district’s critical infrastructure that will be powered by the solar project,” Quezada told the Ojai Valley News. “The exemption will prevent construction delays and avoid additional cost to ratepayers.”
During the public hearing portion of the meeting, an Old Baldwin Road resident requested to see the environmental documents for the project, which Quezada said she would provide.
After closing the public hearing, directors voted unanimously to adopt the resolution exempting the project from county zoning ordinances.
Construction should begin in January with completion in about six weeks, Quezada said.
Senior Reporter
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