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Board upholds Planning Commission and denies Sunfish/BayWa solar permit after intense community opposition
Summary
After lengthy presentations and 22 additional public speakers, Orange County supervisors upheld the Planning Commission’s finding that the Sunfish/BayWa 80 MW solar project was not in substantial accord with the comprehensive plan and then denied the special-use permit by a 5-0 vote.
Orange County’s Board of Supervisors on Aug. 13 upheld the Planning Commission’s determination that the proposed Sunfish Solar project was not in substantial accord with the county comprehensive plan, and followed by voting 5‑0 to deny the special‑use permit (SUP 23‑10) requested by BayWa/Sunfish.
Staff framed the matter as an appeal of the Planning Commission’s substantial-accord finding (required for state‑regulated public utility facilities), explaining that the commission had concluded the project—originally proposed across options totaling 932 acres and subsequently narrowed—was too large and would adversely affect prime farmland and viewsheds. Planning & Zoning Services Manager Josh Frederick told the board the ordinance and comprehensive-plan review had raised concerns about viewshed impacts and potentially inadequate…
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