Title
Approval of a Resolution Authorizing a Solar Energy Rooftop Lease Agreement between the City of Olympia and Olympia Community Solar
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve a Resolution authorizing a solar energy rooftop lease agreement between the City of Olympia and Olympia Community Solar.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve a Resolution authorizing a solar energy rooftop lease agreement.
Staff Contact:
Rich Hoey, P.E., Public Works Director, 360.753.8495
Presenter(s):
None - Consent Calendar Item.
Background and Analysis:
Olympia Community Solar, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, recently approached the City to request approval of a rooftop lease for a community solar project on the Farmers Market roof. The City owns the Farmers Market structure and has an operating agreement with the Olympia Farmers Market, a Washington non-profit, to operate a farmer's market within the structure.
Olympia Community Solar (OCS) requested that the project be modeled after the successful "Hummingbird" community solar project recently installed on the roof of the Hands On Children's Museum (HOCM). City Council approved a similar solar energy roof lease with OCS and HOCM back in August of 2019.
Under the proposed agreement (attached), the City would grant OCS a 15-year lease to install and maintain solar equipment on the Farmers Market roof. If OCS does not recoup the solar equipment costs during the 15-year lease term, OCS can request up to a 5-year extension of the lease. OCS will recoup the cost of installation, maintenance and administration of the solar equipment and not receive any profit.
As a community solar project, OCS will be seeking community support to fund the project. Since the project is dependent on future fundraising, the agreement will terminate at the option of the City after two years if OCS has not completed installation of the solar equipment.
During the lease term, ...
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