Planning board recommends conditional rezoning for 40‑acre solar project after extended, contentious hearing

A contentious public hearing on June 4 ended with the Iredell County Planning Board recommending approval, by a 5–4 tally, of a conditional rezoning to allow a solar energy system on roughly 40 acres at 5593 Wilkesboro Highway. The Planning Board first considered and voted down a motion to deny the request, then voted to recommend approval and forward the application to the County Commission, which will make the final decision at its July 15 meeting.

Planner Jake Lohman told the board the applicant reduced the request since the community meeting: the original parent parcel totals about 192 acres, and the rezoning request was narrowed to a 40‑acre area on the west side of Highway 115. Jake said the request is conditional and the submitted conceptual site plan shows proposed fences, panel locations outside the regulated floodplain and a 500‑foot setback from existing residences; he emphasized the plan in the packet is conceptual and would be refined during site-plan and zoning-permit review.

The applicant, Sam Littman of Finance for Impact (FFI), told the board the project is being developed to supply Energy United and its members, and highlighted proximity to Energy United—s distribution three-phase line and about one mile from the New Hope substation. Littman described planned setbacks, a 35‑foot highway setback, a 15‑foot landscape buffer, a 7‑foot maximum structure height for racking, and a 20‑year lease term with decommissioning obligations and bonding. He said panels will be located outside the county—s 100‑foot stream setback and that he would work with Energy United on interconnection studies.

Supporters who spoke included representatives of Energy United and two attorneys from the Southern Environmental Law Center, who argued community solar can stabilize local electricity costs for co‑op members and that modern silicon panels are durable and safely managed. Colight Technologies— CEO Kevin O'Hara, an installer, addressed noise and breakage concerns and said inverters are distributed across arrays and that perimeter noise would not be audible at neighboring homes.

Many residents and landowners spoke in opposition. Common concerns raised were stormwater runoff and erosion, groundwater contamination and well-water impacts, fire risk (including fires linked to battery storage at other sites), visual impacts and lost rural character, harm to wildlife and archaeological resources, and uncertainty about long-term decommissioning and corporate financing. Several speakers said they purchased property for a rural lifestyle and asked the Planning Board to keep the area agricultural.

Staff and the applicant said routine county and state permitting — erosion-control plans, sedimentation controls, wetland delineation, flood-plain restrictions and required decommissioning bonds and plans — would apply. Jake noted that as of November 1, 2025, the state would have oversight of decommissioning of solar energy projects; he said county standards for decommissioning also apply.

After extended public comment and board deliberation the Planning Board first voted down a motion to deny, then approved a conditional rezoning recommendation 5–4. Board members emphasized the conditional nature of the application and the requirement that the applicant comply with county and state environmental and permitting rules. The County Commission will receive the Planning Board—s recommendation and consider the matter on July 15, 2025.