North Coast Highway Solar Project

2 Documents in Project

Summary

SCH Number
2024071264
Lead Agency
Humboldt County
Document Title
North Coast Highway Solar Project
Document Type
NOD - Notice of Determination
Received
Posted
9/26/2024
Document Description
A Conditional Use Permit is being requested to authorize construction and operation of a 2.8-megawatt solar photovoltaic power generation facility (solar facility) to produce renewable energy for the power grid. The automated facility would occupy an approximately 11-acre fenced area with arrays of solar panels, single-axis trackers, string inverters, transformers, and associated electrical equipment. The approximately 87-acre property is planned and zoned Agriculture Exclusive (AE) and managed as pasture. An existing private driveway provides access to the project site from State Highway 36. Approximately 300 feet of new road is proposed to be developed to connect with a new driveway encroachment along Highway 36, approximately 70 feet west of the existing driveway encroachment. A power line and poles will be run to the site along the driveway route, to allow interconnection to the nearby 12 kilovolt power distribution line located within the highway right-of-way near the driveway encroachment. Approximately 7 acres of the site will be occupied by the solar array. New impervious surfaces totaling approximately 1,500 square feet will be limited to the piles supporting the panel arrays and concrete pads below electrical equipment (approx. 1,060 ft.) Areas beneath the panel will remain vegetated and the project sponsor will maintain continual operation of agricultural uses on the property, including but not limited to sheep grazing, the keeping of honeybees, or planting of row crops, on a rotational basis. Site construction is expected to take approximately 4 months and operation will run for a minimum of 20 years under a power purchase agreement with Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA). Maintenance staff are expected to visit the site on a weekly basis following the start of operation. This is to advise that the County of Humboldt as the Lead Agency has approved the above-described project on September 19, 2024 for which a Mitigated Negative Declaration was also adopted.

Contact Information

Name
Steven Lazar
Agency Name
Humboldt County Planning & Building Department
Job Title
Senior Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency

Name
EPD Solutions
Agency Name
Norah Jaffan
Job Title
Project Manager
Contact Types
Project Applicant

Location

Counties
Humboldt
Regions
Unincorporated
Cross Streets
Alton area - near intscn of River Bar Road and State Highway 36
Zip
95540
Total Acres
85
Jobs
20
Parcel #
204-171-045, 204-081-002, 204-081-006, 204-081-007, 204-171-001, 204-171-047
State Highways
36 & 101
Railways
Great Redwood Trail
Airports
Rohnerville
Schools
Hydesville Elementary School
Waterways
Van Duzen River
Township
02N
Range
01E
Section
19
Base
Humboldt
Other Location Info
The project site is located in an unincorporated area of Humboldt County, 1 mile south of the City of Fortuna, on land situated on the south side of State Route 36 between the communities of Alton and Hydesville, just west of the intersection of Highway 36 and River Bar Road on the property known as 2020 State Highway 36.

Notice of Determination

Approving Agency
Humboldt County Planning & Building Department
Approving Agency Role
Lead Agency
Approved On
County Clerk
Humboldt
Final Environmental Document Available at
3015 H St., Eureka, CA 95501

Determinations

(1) The project will have a significant impact on the environment
No
(2a) An Environmental Impact Report was prepared for this project pursuant to the provisions of CEQA
No
(2b) A Mitigated or a Negative Declaration was prepared for this project pursuant to the provisions of CEQA
Yes
(2c) An other document type was prepared for this project pursuant to the provisions of CEQA
No
(3) Mitigated measures were made a condition of the approval of the project
Yes
(4) A mitigation reporting or monitoring plan was adopted for this project
Yes
(5) A Statement of Overriding Considerations was adopted for this project
No
(6) Findings were made pursuant to the provisions of CEQA
Yes

Attachments

Notice of Determination

Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit OPR’s Accessibility Site.

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