⚡ 1480 RENAISSANCE DR

MEMORANDUM

TO: Sunland America Corp. Development Committee

FROM: Senior BESS Site Evaluation Analyst

DATE: October 26, 2023

SUBJECT: Comprehensive Site Diligence Analysis for Project "Renaissance" (1480 Renaissance Dr, Park Ridge, IL)

This report provides a comprehensive due diligence analysis for the property located at 1480 Renaissance Dr, Park Ridge, Cook County, IL (APN: 09-22-110-005-0000) for its suitability as a distribution-scale (≤5MW) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project. The analysis identifies significant risks related to grid interconnection and zoning that must be addressed before committing further resources.

1. Site Access & Topography

Road Access & Feasibility: The site benefits from direct access to Renaissance Drive, a public road within a developed commercial office park. Based on aerial imagery, the road appears to be a modern, paved, multi-lane thoroughfare capable of handling commercial traffic, including semi-trucks for equipment delivery. The proximity to major highways (I-294 is nearby) is a logistical advantage for mobilizing construction crews and equipment.

Terrain Characteristics: The topography in Park Ridge and the greater Chicago area is exceptionally flat. We can confidently assume the site is level, which significantly reduces earthwork and civil engineering costs. No major grading is anticipated, simplifying the construction process for container pads, switchgear, and transformers.

Heavy Equipment Access: Access for heavy equipment, including cranes for setting transformers and battery containers, appears feasible directly from Renaissance Drive. However, a detailed logistics plan is required to verify turning radii into the specific parcel and to confirm that no local bridge weight restrictions exist on the final delivery route.

Easement Concerns: As the parcel has direct frontage on a public road, a dedicated access easement is likely not required. However, a title search is necessary to confirm this and to identify any utility easements that may cross the property and constrain the buildable area. There is a significant discrepancy between the listed "Total Acres" (35.02) and the "Parcel Acres (Regrid)" (2.97). Our analysis assumes the 2.97-acre size is correct for this APN. This smaller size is adequate for a 5MW BESS but offers limited layout flexibility.

2. Environmental Constraints

FEMA Flood Zone: The FEMA flood zone designation is currently Unknown. This is a critical data gap. A determination must be made immediately by consulting FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). If the site is within a Special Flood Hazard Area (e.g., Zone AE), development costs will increase substantially due to the need to elevate all equipment above the Base Flood Elevation, or the site may be rendered undevelopable.

Wetlands: The presence of wetlands is Unknown. A desktop screening using the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) is the first step. Given the developed nature of the area, the risk of jurisdictional wetlands is moderate, but drainage features or remnant hydric soils could be present. If NWI indicates potential wetlands, a formal wetland delineation would be required, which could trigger significant setbacks (typically 50-100 feet) and reduce the buildable area.

Critical Habitat / Endangered Species: The data indicates no critical habitat or protected areas on site, which is a positive finding. This significantly lowers the risk of project delays or mitigation requirements related to the Endangered Species Act.

Brownfield/Superfund Status: There is one Superfund site located within two miles, but not on the subject parcel. This proximity does not automatically qualify the site for the 10% IRA brownfield tax credit adder. To qualify, the site itself must be certified as a brownfield site under CERCLA definitions. While this presents a potential upside, it should currently be viewed as a risk requiring a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) to determine if historical use (e.g., contamination from prior activities) would qualify it. Without such a finding, the nearby site is a minor concern to be monitored during the ESA.

Pipeline Proximity: The absence of major gas transmission pipelines within a three-mile radius is a significant safety and layout advantage, eliminating concerns about pipeline-related setbacks and explosion risks.

3. Grid Infrastructure & Interconnection

Nearest Substation & Feeder: This is the most critical unknown and the highest-risk element of the project. Data on the nearest substation (distance, voltage, capacity) is missing. For a distribution-scale project, proximity to a substation with available capacity on a 12.47kV or 34.5kV feeder is paramount. Without this, the project is not viable. The commercial office park setting strongly suggests that a 3-phase distribution feeder runs along Renaissance Drive, but its