Valley County commissioners on Jan. 8 agreed to table a conditional use permit for a newly installed ground‑mount solar array at 30 Flicker Road so the homeowner and installer can work with neighbors on mitigation measures.

Staff reported the array is a 45‑by‑10‑foot adjustable ground‑mount on an 8.7‑acre parcel; Valley County code requires a CUP for detached ground arrays larger than 8 square feet. Applicant Joey Richardson of Magic Valley Electric told the commission the array was sited behind the garage, uses matte‑black panels on driven piles (no concrete foundation) and is intended to provide backup power. Owner Kristen McClellan said she will work with neighbors and offered possible plantings or screening.

Opposition was robust. Several nearby homeowners said the array was erected without prior neighbor notification or the usual neighborhood meeting, then installed with a tilt during construction that made it highly visible. Pilots and aviation professionals raised safety concerns: some argued glare or the presence of congregated people near the end of an approach corridor could affect visual operations. Opponents submitted photographs and a petition and asked the commission to require removal or relocation.

Supporters, including Mark McClellan (who flies from Valley County Airports), testified that this specific installation is unlikely to affect aircraft operations and that rooftop mounting and grid‑tied generation have community benefits.

Commissioners discussed options including conditioned approval with a landscape/screening plan, relocation of the array, or tabling to allow the homeowner to meet with neighbors. The commission chose to table CUP25‑032 to the regular Apr. 9, 2026 meeting at 6 p.m. and asked the applicant to pursue a neighborhood meeting and a documented mitigation plan (landscaping, tilt/orientation adjustments or relocation) to present at the continued hearing.

The decision was procedural — tabling the CUP rather than denying it — and preserves neighbors’ opportunity to seek remedies and the commission’s ability to act on documented mitigation at the April meeting.