Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Kent County planning commission recommends conditional approval for Hartley Delaware Solar amid public opposition
Summary
The commission recommended conditional approval of a community energy generating facility (C‑25‑01) and recorded specific site conditions; public commenters raised concerns about intermittency, agricultural impacts, lease economics and potential contaminants.
The Kent County Regional Planning Commission voted 6–0 on Sept. 11 to recommend conditional approval of C‑25‑01, Hartley Delaware Solar, a community energy generating facility located outside the Growth Overlay District. The motion included conditions from staff’s Sept. 4, 2025 report requiring minimum 7‑foot perimeter fencing designed to allow small animals and birds to pass under or through, multiple gates to allow egress for deer, and native pollinator seed mix ground cover.
Commissioner Gavry moved the motion on the record and the commission adopted the staff conditions cited in the recommendation. The recommendation is advisory to Kent County Levy Court and is subject to permitting and compliance with the conditions recorded in the staff report.
Public comment and concerns Several members of the public spoke during the meeting’s public comment period and opposed solar projects generally and this project specifically. John Nichols, identifying himself as…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
