CHANGE OF ZONE NO. 2200004, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 220003, and DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT NO. 2200003 – Intent to adopt a Mitigated Declaration (CEQ220011)

CHANGE OF ZONE NO. 2200004, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 220003, and DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT NO. 2200003 – Intent to adopt a Mitigated Declaration (CEQ220011)

PROJECT SUMMARY:

CHANGE OF ZONE NO. 2200004, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 220003, and DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT NO. 2200003 – Intent to adopt a Mitigated Declaration (CEQ220011) –  Applicant: Wintec Energy, Ltd. c/o Fredrick Noble – Engineer/Representative: Webb & Associates c/o Scott Hildebrant – Fourth Supervisorial District – Thousand Palms Zoning District – Western Coachella Valley Area Plan – Rural: Rural Residential (R: RR) and Community Development: Medium Density Residential (CD: MDR) – Location: north of Interstate 10 Highway, south of Ramon Rd, east of Vista de Oro, and west of Chase School Rd – 165 Gross Acres – Zoning: Existing – One-Family Dwellings (R-1); Proposed – Regulated Development Areas (R-D) – REQUEST: Change of Zone 2200004 a proposal to change the existing Zoning Classifications of the project from R-1 to R-D on 165 gross acres (17 parcels). Conditional Use Permit No. 220003 a proposal to develop a solar array & battery storage facility. The facility would consist of approx. 108 acres of solar arrays (panels) and approx. 43 acres of battery storage & onsite substation. An underground power-line extension will direct the power to a SCE power grid from the project site to the SCE Mirage Substation, north of Ramon Rd. The solar arrays would consist of 96 modules for a maximum of 150 MW of solar production. The battery storage would consist of 400 self-contained one megawatt (MW) storage batteries on elevated platforms totaling 400 MW of storage. The remainder of the site would consist of access roads, a solar substation, fencing, and some landscaping.  Development Agreement No. 2200003 proposes a development agreement with the applicant and County consistent with the County’s solar plant program (Board Policy B-29) and grants vesting rights to develop the project in accordance with the terms of the agreement which requires certain calculation of development impact fees. APN: 651-130-062 thru 065, 651-140-017 thru 025 and 039 thru 042

By this notice, the County is announcing the opening of the 20-day comment period (July 5, 2022, to July 25, 2022). All written comments must be received in writing by July 25, 2022, by 5:00 p.m. (end of the 20-day public review period). Please send all comments via mail to Riverside County Planning Department, Attention: Tim Wheeler, 4080 Lemon Street, 12^th Floor, Riverside, CA 92501 OR via email to [email protected]

PROJECT LOCATION:

The Project site is within the Western Coachella Valley Area Plan and is located north of Interstate 10 Highway, south of Ramon Road, east of Vista de Oro, and west of Chase School Road.