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Kent County planners approve gateway-art location for Morgan Neck Road Solar project
Summary
The planning commission voted unanimously Nov. 6 to approve the final site location for a gateway art amenity required by the Morgan Neck Road Solar CPCN, clearing the way for a public art competition and selection of up to five finalists.
Kent County Planning Commission members approved the final location for a gateway art amenity tied to the Morgan Neck Road Solar project, voting unanimously that the site as sited fulfills condition 23 of the project's Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity.
The vote follows a staff recommendation and an applicant presentation by Urban Grid and Morgan Neck Road Solar LLC explaining that a county-town-community committee has run a request-for-qualifications process and will select up to five finalists to develop full proposals. Acting planning director Carla Gerber summarized that the location decision is needed so artists know the space and setbacks they will design for.
Neighbors and commissioners pressed for clarifications about size, visibility and durability. Frank C. Rhodes, a nearby business owner, said he had not been notified of the amenity discussions and raised safety and visual concerns near his property, asking that berms and plantings screen views of the adjacent solar field: "I don't wanna see that stuff," Rhodes said. Applicant and committee representatives said the site chosen accounts for proximity to the town boundary, future paired elements on the opposite roadside, and existing berm approvals; Urban Grid noted the artwork will be sited at least within the approved limits of disturbance and set back roughly 50 feet from the main roadway to limit interference with motorists.
Commissioner (speaker 4) moved to grant final site plan approval for the gateway amenity location; the motion was seconded and passed on a recorded voice vote (ayes recorded from Bill Crowdy, John Quinn, Paul Roogie, Sean Jones and Ray Strong; the chair also voted in the affirmative). The commission asked staff and applicants to confirm durable materials and setback details when finalists submit full proposals and said the permit can be revisited if a finalist's design requires an amendment.
Next steps: the committee will select up to five finalists, host a public showing and incorporate public input in selecting the winning proposal; the applicant and staff will bring final proposals back for any required site-plan amendments or approvals.
