Rural Land Management Board

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Rural Land Management Board met at 3:00 PM under the presiding leadership of Gloria. The board addressed four agenda items during the meeting, which included approval of previous meeting minutes, informational presentations on solar development, and updates on agricultural applications. The board took six motions to a vote and approved two items: the July 22nd meeting minutes and a white paper on industrial scale solar. Two additional agenda items—a large-scale solar vote and PDR and Small Farm Applications—were presented for informational purposes. No public comments were received during the meeting.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the Board meeting on August 26, 2026:

• Nathan
• Beth
• Lex TV
• Alina
• Brian Jones
• Hannah
• Jonathan
• Margaret
• Lena
• Jim Coleman
• Mary Quinn
• Olivia
• Robert James
• Steven Howard
• Will Mayer
• Janetta
• Phil Hager
• Phil Meyer
• Tiffany
• Council Member Boone

No members were absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

The Board took the following actions during the August 26, 2026 meeting:

Approval of July 22nd Minutes 2:37 Motion by Jim Coleman, seconded by Robert and Anna. The motion to approve the July 22nd minutes passed unanimously.

Authorization to Share White Paper on Industrial Scale Solar 14:28 Motion by Phil, seconded by Phil. The Board unanimously authorized Beth to share the white paper on industrial scale solar.

Enter Closed Session 34:35 Motion by Margaret, seconded by Phil. The motion to enter closed session passed unanimously.

Return to Open Session 35:06 Motion by Phil, seconded by Hannah. The Board unanimously voted to return to open session.

Authorization of Offer for Farm 220-25 35:38 Motion by Robert, seconded by Phil. The Board unanimously authorized an offer for Farm 220-25.

Authorization of Offer for Farm 5-2025 36:09 Motion by Margaret, seconded by Jim Coleman. The Board unanimously authorized an offer for Farm 5-2025.

All six motions passed with unanimous votes.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Board approved a contract with Charlie Farmer for 65 monitoring reviews at a cost of $6,500.

Contested Items

Large-Scale Solar Vote

The Board voted on a large-scale solar proposal, which resulted in a narrowly divided outcome of 8 to 7. This close vote indicates significant disagreement among Board members regarding the proposal. The narrow margin reflects a split in opinion on the matter, with the proposal ultimately passing by a single vote.

Approval of July 22nd minutes

2:37

The Board reviewed the minutes from the July 22nd meeting. Jim Coleman, Robert, and Anna participated in the discussion.

No changes or corrections to the minutes were proposed by any board members during the review.

Outcome: The July 22nd minutes were approved.

Large-scale solar vote

The board discussed the outcome of a recent vote on large-scale solar, which resulted in an 8-7 decision that did not align with the board's position. 3:43

Gloria and Tiffany were the key speakers on this matter. The board presented this as an informational item to update members on the voting result.

In response to the unfavorable outcome, the board encouraged members to contact their council members regarding the large-scale solar issue. This action was intended to mobilize community engagement on the topic following the vote.

White paper on industrial scale solar

14:28

The board discussed a proposal to send a detailed white paper on industrial scale solar to council members. The white paper was intended to support the board's position on this issue.

Key participants: Gloria, Beth, and Phil led the discussion on this agenda item.

Outcome: The board approved the white paper on industrial scale solar for distribution to council members.

PDR and Small Farm Applications

The board discussed deadlines for PDR (Purchase of Development Rights) and small farm applications, with a focus on outreach efforts to potential applicants. 22:48

Key speakers Beth and Brian Jones addressed the topic during this informational discussion. The board examined the timeline for these applications and identified the need for targeted outreach to ensure eligible applicants were aware of and could meet the submission deadlines.

The discussion centered on strategies to reach potential applicants and support them through the application process. No specific concerns or objections were documented during this portion of the meeting.

The outcome of this agenda item was informational in nature, with the board receiving updates on application deadlines and outreach considerations rather than taking formal action.