Levy Court approves 15-acre community solar conditional use; applicant agrees to buffer, decommissioning and training for fire responders
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Summary
Levy Court granted conditional-use approval for a roughly 15-acre community solar project outside the growth zone after the Regional Planning Commission and staff recommended approval; the applicant agreed to perimeter fencing, double-row buffering and a decommissioning bond, and offered training to local fire departments.
Levy Court granted conditional-use approval Tuesday for a proposed community solar facility on roughly 15 acres of a larger farm outside the growth zone, after unanimous recommendations from planning staff and the Regional Planning Commission.
Engineer Greg Moore, representing the applicant, said the solar array would sit on about 15 acres and the remainder of the farm (approximately 53–68 acres depending on the exhibit cited) would remain in agricultural production. Moore said the project includes a decommissioning plan and bonding per county code and that the project met the county’s community-solar standards.
“We will be doing soil studies both before we do construction and then throughout the life of the system,” Moore said. The applicant also submitted a glare study and told the court it would meet buffering and screening requirements; Moore said a 25-foot double row of evergreen screening is planned to visually screen the array within five years.
Hartley Volunteer Fire Company Chief Bradley Gosch told the Levy Court he was not opposed to community solar but asked about emergency access and the width and maintenance of the entrance drive. The engineer replied that state highway access approvals and required fire-marshal access standards would be followed, and the developer agreed to provide the fire department access information and coordinate training. A representative from the developer (Amaresco) offered at the meeting to provide free training to local fire departments once the array is mechanically complete.
Commissioner Hertz moved to grant conditional use approval (application C-2501) for the community energy generation facility; the motion passed by roll call, 6–0 (Commissioner Maston absent). Recorded votes: Angel — yes; Hall — yes; Hertz — yes; Pepper — yes; Sweeney — yes; Scott — yes. Commissioners cited staff and RPC recommendations and the applicant’s agreed-to conditions including fencing, buffers and bond for decommissioning.
Ending: The approval requires the applicant to meet the county’s community-solar code provisions, finalize required permits and coordinate emergency-access details with the fire marshal and local departments; the Levy Court record shows staff and RPC recommended approval and the applicant committed to the conditions recorded in the planning file.
