Doug Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 We will have a large section of trail that the land owner will be leasing out for a solar farm with construction starting late 2024 early 2025. The land owner has no problem keeping a trail but being the land will be leasted we need to work with the solar company. Club member sent one email so far that has not received any response. Has anybody worked through this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mag6240 Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 I haven't had to work through the lease or permitting process with a solar company, but I know of a few trails in MN that roll right past the panels - doesn't it fall back on the land owner? It is still their call I would think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted July 14, 2023 Author Share Posted July 14, 2023 13 minutes ago, Mag6240 said: I haven't had to work through the lease or permitting process with a solar company, but I know of a few trails in MN that roll right past the panels - doesn't it fall back on the land owner? It is still their call I would think. Not sure how this all works and it's in the early stages so we're trying to get ahead of it. Guy I ride with his neighboring club went through this so he's going to get some details on it. He thinks they worked with the solar company and the layout of the grid that it would work for all parties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
favoritos Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 Construction or an actual solar farm? They build fences around solar farms. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted July 14, 2023 Author Share Posted July 14, 2023 1 minute ago, favoritos said: Construction or an actual solar farm? They build fences around solar farms. We're hoping we can see the grid layout and see if we can get around the fenced in area. The tentative schedule from what we're hearing is construction to start late 2024 or early 2025. Trying to get in front of this during the planning stage that we can keep a trail through there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepybrew Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 here in ny we have a shitload of windmills right in the snow belt. they don't want anyone near the base of the towers but we ride right by them. does not seem to have caused the trails any issue. we even ride the access roads they use. solar farm hopefully the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted July 14, 2023 Author Share Posted July 14, 2023 21 minutes ago, sleepybrew said: here in ny we have a shitload of windmills right in the snow belt. they don't want anyone near the base of the towers but we ride right by them. does not seem to have caused the trails any issue. we even ride the access roads they use. solar farm hopefully the same. We are the same in Wisconsin with the wind turbines where the trails goes by the base. With the fencing around the solar farms not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mag6240 Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 12 minutes ago, Doug said: We are the same in Wisconsin with the wind turbines where the trails goes by the base. With the fencing around the solar farms not sure. Yeah as @favoritos said, I forgot to mention the fences - trail just rolls right by them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepybrew Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 39 minutes ago, Doug said: We are the same in Wisconsin with the wind turbines where the trails goes by the base. With the fencing around the solar farms not sure. yeah they won't want a sled near the panels. liability and of course someone plowing in to them at 100mph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted July 14, 2023 Author Share Posted July 14, 2023 Talked to the club that went through this and the steps they needed to take: 1) Permission from the land owner as normal 2) Contact the Solar company and normally the land owner will have a good contact stating point. In the other clubs case it as Alliance Energy 3) Once you have a good starting point and find the correct person to give you tentative permission they will forward you to the project manager. 4) Contact the project manager and they should have the grid layout. Arrange a meeting with them to review the grid. They will not break up any internal design of the grid but will look at the outer parameter. They normally leave anywhere from a 20ft to 40ft access are on the outside parameter. This is where they will let you look at options of where to put the trail. In the other clubs case they altered some of the outside corners for easy of grooming. 5) Get a contact name and number of the company that will be constructing the panels and under ground wiring. See if you can meet with them to let them know who you are and that there will be a snowmobile trail our the outside parameter and if they have any questions give them you contact information. 6) Once the project starts stay is contact with project manager to see if they have any questions 7) The route will have to marked heavily. For any additional signs, post and other materials keep a sperate invoice for everything that was included for the reroute of only the solar farm. I was told it took a little work and submittals but Alliance Energy actually reimbursed the club for all the signs and material. We'll see how this works 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bontz Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 Our club has a small section of trail that runs on/around a solar panel field. As @favoritos mentioned, it's fenced off so you just route along that - or wherever the land owner permits the club to do. It's not as bad as we were anticipating it to be. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mag6240 Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 32 minutes ago, Bontz said: Our club has a small section of trail that runs on/around a solar panel field. As @favoritos mentioned, it's fenced off so you just route along that - or wherever the land owner permits the club to do. It's not as bad as we were anticipating it to be. I don’t remember exactly where that was but I’m sure I rode by it this year! I think @Doug is making sure they keep the trail open during construction as well as after. Sounds like there is a good plan in the works. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bontz Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 15 minutes ago, Mag6240 said: I don’t remember exactly where that was but I’m sure I rode by it this year! I think @Doug is making sure they keep the trail open during construction as well as after. Sounds like there is a good plan in the works. Yep, if you were down this way and around Frontenac - you ran that little section of trail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted July 14, 2023 Author Share Posted July 14, 2023 1 hour ago, Mag6240 said: I don’t remember exactly where that was but I’m sure I rode by it this year! I think @Doug is making sure they keep the trail open during construction as well as after. Sounds like there is a good plan in the works. I was surprised when he told me Alliance picked up the cost for all the signage and material Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICG Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 Speaking from experience writing permits for development and green energy development, the Landowner is the person you want in your corner. They control the project through contracts, until the lease is signed .... After, the property is leased out, the land owner is bound to the terms of the contract and has lost their rights to use said leased area. The land owner can grant access around his property before designs & contracts are finalized. There may be surplus area that can't be used due zoning, size of fields v. Land Tax..... Every state + power company is different to work with. Make friends with the land owner from the get go..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted July 14, 2023 Author Share Posted July 14, 2023 2 minutes ago, ICG said: Speaking from experience writing permits for development and green energy development, the Landowner is the person you want in your corner. They control the project through contracts, until the lease is signed .... After, the property is leased out, the land owner is bound to the terms of the contract and has lost their rights to use said leased area. The land owner can grant access around his property before designs & contracts are finalized. There may be surplus area that can't be used due zoning, size of fields v. Land Tax..... Every state + power company is different to work with. Make friends with the land owner from the get go..... We're good with the landowner. Good guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X2700 Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 1 hour ago, Bontz said: Yep, if you were down this way and around Frontenac - you ran that little section of trail. Been by it many times!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bontz Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 People will be going by it a lot more next season. The existing trail that runs into Frontenac is getting re-routed and we'll have to go out through that solar field to where it intersects with County 2 .... and then ride the ditch into Frontenac. That Highway 61 project is causing the gravel pit to expand and ultimately prevent us from getting across the field just above Frontenac. A new look, starting next year. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allyammies Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 We will be going through the same here in Southern Wisconsin Walworth county on a section I mark. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnstang Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 This way people can pull up on their e-sleds for a fill up and piss off all the haters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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