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Residents and officials press for more patrols, developer obligations amid solar construction traffic
Summary
Residents reported near-miss crashes and heavy truck traffic tied to large solar projects; the sheriff and county staff said current paid patrol hours are insufficient and county attorney advised pursuing road-use agreements or an ordinance requiring developer-funded protections.
Residents and county officials said heavy construction traffic tied to solar projects has increased safety risks on county roads, prompting calls for more sheriff’s patrols and for developers to take responsibility for traffic management.
Commissioner Jennifer Kniebel and others described numerous near misses and complaints about semitrailers parked on county roads overnight, early morning speeding and drivers unfamiliar with local roads. Sheriff’s representatives said additional paid patrol hours are already in demand and that current overtime and staffing limits constrain their ability to provide continuous coverage; the sheriff’s office has purchased some extra hours from private companies but said those shifts quickly fill.
County Engineer/Project staff reported Mammoth (a developer) has spent more than $1 million on road repairs related to its construction and that the county has issued notices for violations; staff said fines are planned if outstanding violations are not addressed. Tim Hollingsworth of Versus Engineering explained his firm provided topographic (survey) drawings for a project but said Versus did not perform design work for Invenergy; he said Versus does not view its prior survey work as a conflict of interest.
County Attorney Jacob Ehler told the commissioners that an ordinance requiring developers to pay for mitigation such as additional patrols or road‑use protections could be enacted going forward but would likely apply prospectively; he recommended road‑use agreements include explicit language requiring developer contributions for safety and maintenance. Ehler recommended allowing a reasonable compliance period rather than retroactively imposing penalties. Commissioners asked county staff to coordinate additional enforcement and to explore ordinances or contractual language to require developer-funded patrols and road repairs.
Several members of the public urged a moratorium on battery energy storage projects until the county establishes rules. Public commenters also suggested potential conflicts of interest where private engineering firms previously worked for developers; the county attorney, staff, and a Versus representative addressed those concerns in the meeting.
