Mahomet residents press committee to attend Summit Ridge Energy outreach, raise concerns about fencing, access and donations

Two residents of Mahomet urged the Champaign County Environment and Land Use Committee to attend a developer outreach meeting next week and raised questions about changes to a proposed solar farm site plan and developer conduct.

Debbie Bunch, who said she lives at 405 South Brierfield Court, told the committee she planned to attend a community meeting Summit Ridge Energy will host on Wednesday, Oct. 15, and asked as many committee members as possible to attend. "I would hope that you would want to attend and hear everything for yourselves," Bunch said.

Bunch and Linda Hamilton, who said she lives at 406 South Brierfield Court, criticized the timing and sufficiency of outreach by Summit Ridge Energy and asked for clarity about recent site-plan revisions. Hamilton said residents had been invited to the developer's meeting on short notice and that some neighbors regard calls seeking donations to local causes as "bribing." "To us, that's bribing," Hamilton said.

Both speakers identified specific changes and questions about the proposed project discussed at past zoning and advisory meetings. Bunch said a road that Alan Singleton raised at a previous meeting was originally described as a temporary 16-foot road; she said she was told that has since been changed to 20 feet. She also said the project's February packet listed a chain-link fence, the May packet listed a wood fence, and she asked whether the developer would consider white PVC (vinyl) fencing for longer life. "Vinyl PVC fence panels are generally considered better than wood fence panels due to their durability, lower maintenance requirements, and longer lifespan," she said.

Bunch also said a developer representative told a questioner that any road built on land owned by Greater Heritage Farms would remain privately owned and that gated fences would make entry onto the solar site trespassing. Bunch referenced bicycle safety in the area, noting the 2020 death of Dr. Bill Shue near the proposed site.

Committee members responded with procedural clarifications. A committee member said the county does not have resources to film off-site developer meetings, and another suggested residents speak with "John" (a staff member) about when site-plan revisions would trigger a return to the zoning board. John told residents they could contact him in regular business hours.

Hamilton and Bunch asked whether the site-plan revisions would return to the zoning board; John and a committee member directed them to discuss timing with staff or the zoning board as appropriate.

The committee did not take formal action on the public comments. The public comment period closed after the two speakers finished.