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Waunakee delays decision on 6 MW Kennedy Drive solar project after packed public hearing
Summary
After more than an hour of public testimony — largely opposition from nearby residents — the Waunakee Village Board voted to carry over a conditional-use permit for a proposed 6 MW solar facility on Kennedy Drive so staff and counsel can gather more information on wetlands, fire access, screening and decommissioning protections.
The Waunakee Village Board on Monday opened a public hearing on a site plan and conditional-use permit for a 6 megawatt solar facility on Kennedy Drive and then voted to delay a final decision after several hours of testimony and technical questions.
Lauren Freeman, the village deputy administrator and community development director, told trustees the project would place panels on less than 30 acres of a 112-acre parcel now owned by Madison Gas and Electric and that the draft conditional-use permit includes required DNR stormwater and wetland approvals, a decommissioning plan and an escrow requirement for non‑utility owners. “CUPs are kind of a great device for allowing decision makers to evaluate the impact of a certain use like a solar panel and place conditions on that approval,” Freeman said during her presentation but cautioned the board that state law limits denying CUPs unless an applicant doesn’t meet requirements.
Nolan Sumpf, project manager for developer 1 Energy Renewables, said the site design uses bifacial single-axis…
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