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<br /> <br />7 <br /> <br />Commissioner Frischman thanked the developer and applicant for holding neighborhood <br />meetings. <br />Representative Bernardy stated she was pleased that the traffic and safety concerns were <br />being passed along to the Public Safety Commission. <br />Commissioner Biedenfeld stated he was pleased to the applicant had made changes to the <br />plans that addressed the previously mentioned concerns. He thanked the applicant and staff <br />for working together to create this new plan. <br /> <br />Motion by Commissioner Frischman, seconded by Commissioner McQuillan to close the <br />Public Hearing. <br />A roll call vote was taken. Approved 6-0. <br />Motion by Commissioner Frischman, seconded by Commissioner McQuillan to recommend <br />the City Council approve staff recommendation. <br />A roll call vote was taken. Approved 6-0. <br />VII. Business Items <br />1) Solar Ordinance Best Practices Review for SolSmart Designation. <br /> <br />Assistant Director of Community Assets and Development Gozola reported per the SolSmart <br />website: <br /> “Local governments have tremendous influence over the prospects for solar energy growth. <br />Unnecessary paperwork, red tape, and other burdensome requirements increase costs and <br />discourage solar companies from moving to the area. By streamlining these requirements and <br />taking other steps to encourage solar development, communities become “open for solar <br />business.” And since the solar industry is a leading source of American job creation, attracting <br />solar investment in your community is a great way to promote economic development and new <br />jobs.” <br /> <br />Assistant Director of Community Assets and Development Gozola explained one required step to get <br />SolSmart certification is to present the organization’s recommendations on zoning ordinance changes <br />to the Planning Commission for review. Their main overarching finding was “New Brighton’s ordinance <br />is fairly silent on solar. We recommend adding language around solar as it relates to planning, zoning, <br />and development, consistent with the Minnesota Local Government Solar Toolkit Model Ordinance so <br />as to increase solar technology adoption.” <br /> <br />Staff provided further comment on the proposed language changes to the Solar Ordinance <br />recommendations as proposed by the Great Plains Institute and requested feedback from the <br />Commission.