ORDINANCE NO. 230707
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Sponsors: Mayor Quinton Lucas and Councilmember Andrea Bough
Authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and enter into all necessary agreements consistent with this ordinance, including but not limited to a pre-development agreement, development agreement, lease, and any other necessary agreements, with 816 Solar Consortium for development of a solar array on property at the Kansas City International Airport; provide a 180-day period for negotiations; and recognizing this ordinance as having an accelerated effective date.
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WHEREAS, the City commissioned a feasibility study to assist in determining the potential size of a solar energy project on undeveloped land at the Kansas City International Airport; and
WHEREAS, the feasibility study determined that over 3,100 acres of vacant land at the Kansas City International Airport is suitable for a solar panel installation which could produce up to 500 megawatts of electricity, enough to power the equivalent of up to 70,000 average size homes; and
WHEREAS, the feasibility study recommended a phased approach as the fastest and most cost-effective way to expedite the project and enable the solar facilities to provide energy more quickly than other approaches; and
WHEREAS, the City issued a Request for Proposals 62220554 - Westside Solar Array at MCI (“Project”), requesting proposals for a turnkey project including all activities necessary to permit, engineer, design, fabricate, purchase, transport, install, operate and maintain a utility-scale solar photovoltaic system on the property; and
WHEREAS, the City desires that Phase I of the Project shall have no cost to rate payers or local tax payers; and
WHEREAS, the City desires that the negotiated agreement shall provide that existing rates of charge for electricity for local consumers do not increase as a result of the Project; and
WHEREAS, the City selected the proposal submitted by 816 Solar Consortium (an entity comprised of Evergy, Burns & McDonnell, Savion, LLC, and Herzog Contracting Corporation) as the proposal which offered the greatest benefit to the Kansas City region; and
WHEREAS, the solar energy project will reduce the City’s carbon footprint as it will produce clean energy and reduce impacts of transporting energy; and
WHEREAS, developing this source of renewable energy on City owned property is consistent with the goals in the Climate Protection & Resilience Plan to be carbon neutral by 2030, including a 100% reduction for emissions related to electricity consumption; and
WHEREAS, it is anticipated that the City and 816 Solar Consortium shall negotiate the necessary agreements within 180-days of the passage of this ordinance, and begin construction of Phase I of the Project within twelve (12) months of passage of this ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the City intends that the Project shall produce energy as quickly as possible, and the 816 Solar Consortium proposed that the commercial operational date for Phase I of the Project is December 2025; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:
Section 1. That the City Manager is authorized to negotiate all necessary agreements consistent with this ordinance, including but not limited to a pre-development agreement, development agreement, lease, and any other necessary agreements, with 816 Solar Consortium for development of a solar array on property at the Kansas City International Airport, and provide a 180-day period for negotiations, unless otherwise extended by Council.
Section 2. That the City Manager’s authority to execute the necessary agreements is subject to the City Council passing any further ordinances required under the City Charter and the Code of Ordinances.
Section 3. That this ordinance is recognized as an ordinance with an accelerated effective date as provided by Section 503(a)(3)(D) of the City Charter in that it relates to the design, repair, maintenance or construction of a public improvement, and shall take effect in accordance with that section.
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Approved as to form:
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Charlotte Ferns
Senior Associate City Attorney