San Francisco based Silverado Power Plans to build Six Solar Sites in parts of Lancaster and Los Angeles County

Silverado Solar plans to build six solar energy fields within almost 1,000 acres in unincorporated Los Angeles County. The projects are on the west side of Hwy 14 and they all have been partially approved by Lancaster Planning Department and Los Angeles Regional Planning. They run between 30th Street West and 120th streets West. Lancaster planning’s website indicates that two of them will be above Ave D near Hwy 14, while the other four will be south of Hwy 138. Silverado is currently buying the land and negotiating prices with realtors and sellers. What seems unique is that some of the parcels are 2.5 acres in size such as the area at 100th West at Ave K. Most of the time we have found that solar firms target large parcels. This causes the solar firm to negotiate with numerous sellers while getting approval from LA Regional Planning. According to AV Press, the six projects will generate a combined 172 megawatts of energy with the largest one being a 52 megawatt facility on 256 acres, running from avenues J to H-8 between 85th and 97th streets west. There are a lot of individual parcels in this area as well. Officials have yet to fully approve the plans and are still receiving public comments as part of the environmental impact review process. Dust and the availability of water seems to be a hurdle. Silverado claims to have a solution to use water outside of the area or reclaimed water. There have been a lot of solar projects and this dust issue was not addressed with the other projects now run by First Solar. Silverado came late to the game and now they have to implement dust control guidelines as part of the environmental report. It is very likely they will have a number of other mitigation procedures because of the impact on the burrowing owl, ground squirrel and other plant and animal species that maybe affected. The west side of Antelope Valley has seem an increase in land sales because of all of the solar projects in the area. Many local homeowners don’t like this alternative energy growth so close to home, but the land owners who live elsewhere have been happy to unload their land. Stay tuned here with vacantlanddeals.com and we will provide current updates on this project and others as they affect real estate in Lancaster and Palmdale, Ca

KB Home Projects In Lancaster East Side 2014

There are at least 3 major housing projects on the East side in Lancaster Ca. They are being undertaken by KB Homes. The first on our list is a 13.60 acre housing development called KB Homes Ol Bel Sol at 25th East and Ave K. This is a 41 single family home tract. The second is a 38.75 acres project called Dorado Vista at the south east corner of 30th East at Ave J, this project is a subdivision of 141 single family homes. The third project is a 40 acre project at the south eastern corner of 35th East at Ave J. This subdivision is a project for 169 single family homes and it is called Dorado Skies Community. According to KB Homes website the priced target of Dorado Skies is $238-$275k per home and there is no HOA. They look to plan five different types of tract homes. The 2000 square foot homes are 3 to 4 bedrooms and the 3200 square foot homes at 4 to 5 bedrooms. 141 Single family home at The Dorado Vista site which is located at 30th east and Ave J. The average listing price is $167,564. They are 3 beds, 2 baths, approximately 1,988 square feet, and will be built this year. The smaller project in O' Bel Sol, is sold out. The average listing price is $167,564. The floor plan has 4 beds, 2 baths, approximately 2,548 square feet, and they were built in 2013.

Want to Ride A Magic Bus? BYD of Lancaster, Ca is offering a Ride Along and Tour

BYD presented a recent press release for the Media and local government officials as there Bus factory will be ready to build buses later this month. BYD has a complete electric Bus which it has been constructing in Lancaster Ca near Sierra Hwy just north of Ave H. Company officials indicate the new bus can run entirely off battery power lasting up to 24 hours on a single charge, and it can recharge within 3 to 5 hours.They are completely battery powered without a transmission or a clutch. The bus also doesn’t have steps as it has low floors making it elderly and disability friendly, and it will be very environmentally and emission friendly. They also claim to be able to have the ability to save 2+ trees per day, literally a forest each month on U.S. roads. BYD already has an agreement to supply these buses to the City of Long Beach. It was the impetus to build the bus in Lancaster since they already had a buyer. BYD Motors Inc. is an American manufacturing company, and a subsidiary of BYD China. They are also the largest manufacturer of rechargeable batteries. They also own BYD motors, which makes electric cards and e-taxi’s. They are publically traded with most of the investors being from the US including Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway who is the largest shareholder with 10% owner.

Ivanpah Solar Power Plant is Running, but It maybe Too Big to Duplicate

There is a massive new solar site that is now operational in Ivanpah, Ca. in the eastern portion of San Bernardino. It was created by BrightSource Energy, NRG Energy, Bechtel, with some Google funding, and it is the largest in the world of its type. The tax payer essentially owns it as they were given $1.6 Billion in loan guarantees from the Department of Energy(DOE). The plant has about 350,000 mirrors each the size of a garage door in several circles across the Mojave Desert. These mirrors focus the suns rays on a central tower which has a large boiler about 340 feet high. The boiler makes steam which turns turbines that will make electricity. It is projected that this project will power 140,000 homes. There have been several controversies including relocating the desert tortoise, which didn’t go well as many died during relocation. The other issue has been that this project received preferential treatment from the Energy Department. This was during the time of the Solyndra solar panel plant debacle in Fremont, Ca. Solyndra also received preferential treatment. It looks like large projects like this maybe a thing of the past as this project was so expensive, and The DOE loan guarantees are now drying up. Also, prices have come down with newer technologies, so future plants look to be smaller in scale. News reports indicate that NRG was asked to invest in another project, but they said they have $300 million in this one and are looking into smaller projects overseas. Others are saying individual projects on homes and businesses maybe the future, but if this project proves out well then maybe future investment in large scale projects will be on the desert horizon. BrightSource Energy is mostly invested in large scale projects, and an executive acknowledged at an opening ceremony that this solar thermal technology only worked on a large scale and in certain locations, and without the $1.6 Billion in loan guarantees this project would have failed. A NYTimes article indicated that the technology is already changing as BrightSource said that Ivanpah could stabilize voltage but has little storage, though it does have natural gas backup. At the dedication, Mr. Ramm said that in the future, BrightSource’s boilers would use molten salt to store the heat longer. Berberich, the president and chief executive, said that “on an apples-to-apples basis, it is more expensive than photovoltaic, but it has a heck of a lot more capabilities than photovoltaic does.” End NYTimes quote. So the project is now up and running, and it does show that even desert land out this far can be useful. This particular land was government land or BLM(Bureau of Land Management). There are other solar projects working and some underway in and just outside of Lancaster, Ca.

Amargosa Creek Site Medical And Commercial Plan

The City of Lancaster is planning for future development iof an area of 150 acres from Ave K to Ave L between Sierra Hwy and 10th Street West. The site is called Amargoso Creek site, and they plan it to be mixed used development in this area. This would include office retail, medical facilities, (Kaiser Hospital), and a potential for Hotels, and residents. They also anticipate areas for people to linger (Cities words). This will likely be a park and or plaza area. The medical facility part seems to be getting the most attention. They have three phases with a full build out within 25 years. The Hospital will be in the southeastern part of the Amargosa site. Phase one will be a medical campus with a proposed support building containing offices. This part is expected to be completed by 2015. Phase two is where they plan to add 100 to 150 bed hospital with an expected opening on or before 2018. The final phase will depend on the areas growth, but may include a 50 bed expansion and additional office buildings. This part will be completed by 2020 or 2030. Contingent on this overall plan of the Hospital and Commercial sites will be the backbone infrastructure. The commercial phase one will go along with the medical facility. They anticipate the commercial demand will be general merchandise, specialty retail, full service dining, with a pedestrian area, shopping district and outdoor space likely a major plaza. Commercial phase two will be an area of a build out of 10th west and Ave K-8. Phase three commercial is a flex commercial in the northeastern part of the quadrant. This is the final commercial phase which will build upon the prior commercial and medical phases. It may move faster as the area needs it and as the growth demands. This area is looking and will start to look much better. This area has been vacant unused land with the surrounding area being built up. If you own land in or around this area you should see an uptick in prices. It may also be an area to buy and hold as well. Contact us at vacantlanddeals.com for land opportunities here and elsewhere.

Should You Transfer Property to an LLC or Corporation for Protection and add Business Insurance?

Many property owners own their property under a trust, but most property is owned just as an individuals. You may need an attorney to address this issue thoroughly as an LLC or Inc. can protect you but the corporate vale can be pierced depending on how you operate your small business. There are a number of reasons to transfer your real estate into an LLC or corporation, primarily for your personal economic protection. You will not want you personal assets exposed due to an investment. For a number of reasons, you may choose to transfer real estate or other property into an LLC. An LLC or corporation alone may be enough protection, but they are no full proof. A corporation can also be looked at differently for tax reasons, so a simple LLC maybe a better vehicle for the small business or family land owner. Owning and operating a small business adds a lot of responsibility and accountability. Although you may operate with the utmost care and provide the best quality and services, a client or customer may perceive you did them wrong. This is where liability insurance can come in handy. Who Needs Business Liability Insurance? According to sources almost 8 out of 10 small businesses are a sole proprietorship or a partnership. This can make you personally liability. Additionally there is a misconception that an LLC or Corporation has protection,, but you can be personally liable if you guarantee a loan, personally injured someone even by negligence, acted irresponsibly, or illegally. Added protection would be Business Liability insurance. An LLC’s vale can be pierced if you don’t separate the use of your bank account. You can’t use the LLC funds as a personal piggy bank. Business liability insurance can protect your small business in the event of a lawsuit for personal injury or property damages. It usually covers the damages from a lawsuit along with the legal costs. Depending on your business needs, liability insurance can be purchased in many forms. The main type of insurance you would need is Commercial General Liability policy or General Insurance. This insurance can protect you from injury claims, property damage and possible advertising claims if in error. So a combination of an LLC and liability insurance will give you added protection and piece of mind. You can talk to your accountant or attorney for the best advise.

Lancaster Recognized Again as the “Most Business-Friendly City” by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation

City of Lancaster Press Release: This is a portion of the release from this past November Lancaster, CA. 11/15/2013 – The City of Lancaster was named “Most Business-Friendly City” at the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC’s) 18th annual Eddy Awards Thursday evening. Lancaster is the first city in the history of the program to have won the award twice, with its first win in 2007. “We are deeply honored that an organization of this caliber has once again recognized Lancaster with this very prestigious award,” said Mayor R. Rex Parris. “Since 1996, LAEDC and its president, Bill Allen, have played a key role in many of Lancaster’s recent successes, including the attraction of BYD’s e-bus and battery manufacturing facilities.” The LAEDC is the premier economic development organization in Los Angeles County, since 1996 having helped retain or attract more than 190,000 annual jobs in the County with an estimated labor income of $11.8 billion. During last night’s ceremony, the City of La Mirada was also named Most Business-Friendly Smaller City, with a population under 50,000. “This year’s Most Business-Friendly Cities, Lancaster and La Mirada, understand that domestic and global competition for jobs, businesses and entire industries has never been fiercer,” said Bill Allen, LAEDC president and CEO. “The City of Lancaster vigorously competes by training its residents for tomorrow’s jobs, not for yesterday’s; by keeping costs and fees down to attract new businesses and jobs; and by supporting its start-up sector, which will drive the city’s economic growth in the future.” The winners were selected based on the following criteria: • Demonstrated commitment to economic development as a priority • Programs and services designed to facilitate business entry, expansion, and retention • Economic development activity over the past three years • Competitive business tax rates and fee structures • Availability of economic incentives • Effective communication with and about business clients “Considered one of the least expensive places to conduct business by the Kosmont-Rose Survey, Lancaster’s economic stimulus package, streamlined permit process, and reduced transactions fees have spurred economic, community and real estate development,” states a press release issued by the LAEDC. “The downtown revitalization project created a vibrant urban center with 50 new businesses and hundreds of new jobs.” The LAEDC also recognized three world-class private sector entities for their outstanding contributions to economic development in Los Angeles County: SpaceX, Yang Ho Cho, and the University of Southern California. About the City of Lancaster: www.CityofLancasterca.org The City of Lancaster is a thriving community of more than 158,000 in northern Los Angeles County. Clean air, attainable housing, wide open spaces, and a close-knit community make Lancaster an ideal place for families. A low cost of doing business, endless potential for growth, and a strong commitment to business from local leaders has twice earned Lancaster the Eddy Award for “Most Business-Friendly City” in Los Angeles County from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. In addition, Lancaster boasts more than 300 days of sunshine per year, making it the ideal place to pioneer new solar energy technologies. No matter how you look at it, it's positively clear that Lancaster is the perfect place to live, work and play.