In 2016, as part of Xcel Energy’s Solar*Rewards Community program, GreenMark Solar LLC (now REC Solar Commercial Corporation) was given the option to develop a community solar garden (CSG) for the City of Woodbury. In 2017, REC asked Barr to help with permitting.
Barr assisted REC with all permitting requirements; wetland delineation; and federal, state, and local jurisdictional requirements. Barr began by preparing an Interim Conditional Use Permit (ICUP) application, gathering supporting information, negotiating with city officials, attending public meetings, and securing final approval from the city council. As part of the ICUP requirements, Barr completed erosion and sedimentation control and landscape planning. The landscape planning included preparing visualizations, presenting findings, and negotiating final plans with the city. Barr also assisted with tree inventory, tree-removal planning, and final landscape plans.
In accordance with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and city’s stormwater management requirements, Barr completed stormwater treatment system modeling and design, addressed comments from the MPCA and the city to obtain final permits and approvals, and assisted with the preparation of a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP).
Final permitting was completed in 2018.