Walworth County’s Zoning Agency on June 19 approved a conditional-use permit for a 6-megawatt solar array to be sited on about 32 acres of a 52.5-acre field owned by Dessler Farm LP in Section 21, Horry Township. The applicant listed on the record is 1 Energy Renewables.

County staff presented aerial overlays and drone footage showing the proposed array footprint, access from Highway 20, and the applicant’s planned vegetative screening. Nolan Stumpf, representing 1 Energy, told the agency the proposed vegetative screen is a row of deciduous shrubs that, when mature, will be approximately 8 to 16 feet tall and that panels will sit roughly 6 to 9 feet above grade depending on topography.

The project’s permit application includes a vegetation management plan to maintain the ground cover and prevent shading of panels; Stumpf said the site will be mowed once or twice per year (sometimes a third cut depending on conditions) and that native cover crops and prairie plantings will be used to establish a stable groundcover. "Keeping the vegetation from shading the panels is one of our highest priorities," Stumpf said.

The committee discussed financing, post‑life decommissioning and bonding: staff confirmed the applicant had not posted a county bond, and Stumpf said decommissioning is the project owner’s responsibility and is included in the lease and the decommissioning plan submitted with the permit application. Stumpf also said there is an industry-standard federal investment tax credit (ITC) but no direct federal grant to the project. The agency acknowledged prior conversations about the county’s broader bonding policy but did not require a bond as a condition for this permit.

The record shows the applicant expects the panels to be insured and stated that panels are primarily silicon wafers with a glass cover and are not expected to leach hazardous substances. Stumpf said panels are typically rated for severe hail and have an expected life of roughly 30 years; after the warranty period projects may be decommissioned or repowered.

The agency voted to approve the conditional use. Motion to approve was made by Jim Van Drieser and seconded by Kebalski; the motion carried with one recorded nay.

Why it matters: the project adds local distributed generation capacity and includes planting native screening and an operations plan with vegetation management; the permit also requires a decommissioning plan and places decommissioning responsibility with the project owner, but the committee did not set a county bonding requirement for post‑life cleanup.

Implementation notes: the applicant must satisfy the town’s conditions where applicable, finalize stormwater and maintenance agreements, submit final construction plans for staff review, and comply with any state or utility interconnection requirements before construction.