HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 01211986 - T.9 T.9
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on January 21 , 1986 , by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Fanden, McPeak, Torlakson, Powers
NOES: None
ABSENT: Supervisors Schroder, McPeak
ABSTAIN: None
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SUBJECT : Appeal of Howden Wind Parks, Inc. from Board of Appeals
decision with respect to appeal of the Bay Area Greenbelt
Congress on LUP 2025-85 .
The Board on January 14, 1986, continued to this day the
public hearing on the appeal of Howden. Wind Parks, Inc. (applicant)
and Vaquero Farms, Inc. & Antonio and Thelma Souza (owners) , from
the Board of Appeals decision granting in part the appeal of the Bay
Area Green Belt Congress (appellant) by requiring the preparation of
an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) before proceeding any further
with said appeal from the Zoning Administrator' s approval of Land
Use Permit 2025-85 which requested approval to establish a wind
power electrical generation facility with setback variances for some
of the windpower generators.
Following brief comments from Harvey Bragdon, Assistant
Director of the Community Development Department, the following
persons spoke:
Keith Howard, representing the applicant, P. 0. Box 5246 ,
Walnut Creek, spoke on the merits of the proposal and of mitigation
measures to protect sensitive biological and archeological areas.
He referred to several approved applications for wind farms that did
not require the preparation of an EIR and expressed the opinion that
the Howden proposal should also be exempted. Mr. Howard urged the
Board to grant the appeal .
Dale Sanders, representing the Green Belt Congress, 1158
Temple Drive, Pacheco 94553, presented a slide presentation of the
area, expressed support for the preparation of an EIR, and concluded
that he did not believe the proposal to be environmentally feasible.
He suggested that the question of wind farms be a part of the
General Plan study for -the southeast portion of the County.
Bob Walker, also representing the Greenbelt Congress,
545 Clayton Street, San Francisco, commented on the need to protect
biological and archeological resources in the area.
Alan _Bradford, Rt. 1, Box 6A, Byron, expressed concerns
relative to noise when the wind generators are in operation,
increased traffic, and pollution to the environment.
Margaret Tracy, representing Preserve Area Ridgelands
Committee, 1262 Madison Avenue, Livermore 94550, expressed support
for the preparation of an EIR.
David Nesbitt, representing the San Francisco Bay Chapter
of the Sierra Club, 6014 College Avenue, Oakland, also expressed
support for an EIR.
. Mark Evanoff, representing People for Open--Space, 512
Second Street, San Francisco, urged the Board to require the pre-
paration of an Environmental Impact Report. He also urged support
for the designation of a permanent Greenbelt in the County' s General
Plan.
Charles A. Anderson, 7675 Vasco Road, Livermore, advised
that he lives about a mile away from a wind farm operation and is
impacted by the noise of these generators.
Genevieve Sattler, 4050 Poplar Avenue, Concord, expressed
support for an EIR.
Beverly Ortiz, 1778 Sunnyvale Avenue, Walnut Creek, also
spoke in favor of an EIR.
Robert E. Doyle, representing the East Bay Regional Parks
District, 11500 Skyline Boulevard, Oakland, commented on the need to
pretest the archeological resources in the area. Mr. Doyle
expressed concern relative to the visibility of the wind generators
and the impact on the environment when in operation. He, too, sup-
ported the preparation of an EIR.
A spokesman on behalf of Van Rainey, representing the
Citizens Land Alliance, 147 Old Bernal Avenue, Pleasanton, spoke in
favor of the Howden proposal, noting that other applications for
land use permits for wind farm projects were approved without the
requirement of an EIR. The speaker advised of mitigation measures
by the applicant to protect and enhance the environment.
Tony Souza, 340 W. Grantline, Tracy 95376, expressed sup-
port for the Howden proposal. He noted that the County would bene-
fit financially from the project.
Howard R. Higgins, P. 0. Box 457 , Antioch 94509 , expressed
support of the Howden proposal.
Jack Roddy, President of the Ranchers Association, spoke
on the problems of ranchers and the resultant impact on agriculture.
He noted that ranchers are searching for financial resources to
allow them to remain in business and expressed the opinion that the
Howden Wind Farm project would provide financial assistance to the
rancher.
Keith Howard in rebuttal again spoke on mitigation
measures to protect the biological and archeological resources. He
urged the Board to grant his appeal .
The Chairman noted that letters were received from the
League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley and the California Native
Plant Society supporting the preparation of an EIR; and Citizens for
Urban Wilderness Areas requesting the preparation of an EIR and
the establishment of a permanent Greenbelt as a part of the General
Plan update.
All persons desiring to speak having been heard, IT IS BY
THE BOARD ORDERED that the hearing is CLOSED.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that decision on this appeal is
DEFERRED to January 28 , 1986 , with the Clerk being instructed to
list this matter for determination on the agenda for that date.
1 hereby certify that this Is a true and correct copy of
an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of Supe lsors on the date shown.
ccs Applicant ATTESTED: a1 (q9L
Appellant PHIL BAHELOR,Cgrk of the Board
Community Development Dept. of Supervisors and County Administrator
Public Works
County Counsel
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By , Deputy