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Commissioners approve conditional use for solar array on Little McCall Road with buffers and decommissioning conditions
Summary
The board granted conditional-use approval Feb. 18 for a solar project on Little McCall Road that will occupy about 30 acres of a 63‑acre parcel. The developer committed to wetlands avoidance, a 75‑foot roadside buffer, vegetative screening and a decommissioning plan that will follow updated state rules.
The Effingham County Board of Commissioners approved a conditional‑use permit on Feb. 18 for a solar facility proposed on a roughly 63‑acre parcel on Little McCall Road, with approximately 30 acres to be used for panels. The application by Will Jernigan of Inman Solar received no recorded opposition at the hearing.
Developer presentation and site design: Will Jernigan said the site was wetland‑delineated and the preliminary plan had been designed around those features. He described a typical layout of two fenced arrays separated by wetlands, a 75‑foot vegetative buffer along Little McCall Road, and an 8‑foot perimeter fence around panel arrays. "We've already had it delineated in terms of the wetlands and have designed our preliminary plans, around those wetlands," Jernigan told commissioners. The developer said existing scrub and immature vegetation would be retained where practicable and supplemented to improve roadside screening.
Stormwater and on‑site features: The developer told the board the solar arrays are treated as 70% impervious for stormwater calculations, and the design includes retention basins sited toward the rear of the property. Jernigan said the team has allowed for roughly one‑acre ponds and other controls to meet county stormwater standards. The applicant indicated the project responds to a Georgia Power solicitation and would tie into local circuits and substation capacity.
Decommissioning and state law: Staff recommended conditions addressing decommissioning and bonding; Jernigan said the developer’s draft decommissioning plan follows industry practice but that a July 2024 state law supersedes certain county bonding provisions. He offered to follow statutory requirements and coordinate with staff on any county checklist items that remain applicable.
Permitting and next steps: Commissioners and staff noted the applicant must return for detailed site‑plan approval under the county’s checklist and obtain all applicable permits. County staff confirmed the packet included recommended conditions and that site plan review will address access, final buffer planting, fencing type and stormwater details.
Vote: The board voted unanimously to approve conditional use and scheduled the second reading; the applicant will proceed to site‑plan review and permitting.
Why it matters: The project will add utility‑scale solar capacity to the county’s generation mix, provide long‑term tax revenue from a 30‑year lease and requires coordination on wetlands, stormwater and decommissioning that could set expectations for future solar proposals in the area.
