Scotland County board approves special-use permit to expand 80‑MW Cypress Creek solar project amid heated public debate

The Scotland County Planning and Zoning Board voted Dec. 9 to approve a special‑use permit to add roughly 100 acres to an existing 80‑megawatt Cypress Creek solar project, a move proponents said improves project efficiency while some residents warned it accelerates loss of farmland and rural character.

The board’s decision covers two added tracts — one north of Gilles Road and one south of Old Wire Road — that would increase the project from about 406 acres to roughly 560 acres while keeping the facility at an estimated 80 megawatts. The board approved the permit after Cypress Creek representatives described site conditions, buffers and project oversight measures and after more than an hour of public comment.

Why it matters: board members and residents framed the vote as part of a larger land‑use question facing the county. Speakers raised the county’s pending comprehensive land‑use plan and a recently adopted solar ordinance as tools the board can use in future reviews. Supporters emphasized local economic and construction benefits and project conditions; opponents emphasized long‑term loss of agricultural land and limits on transmission capacity.

Project details and developer commitments Cypress Creek representatives said the expansion would not change the project’s rated capacity (still 80 MW) but would increase acreage to allow panels to be spaced for greater energy yield and reduced in‑row shading. Michael Forte, senior project developer for Cypress Creek, said the project was resubmitted to Duke Energy in September and that anticipated Duke notifications were targeted for Jan.…