Dodge County committee tables 5 MW solar permit after hours of opposition from Ashpen residents

The Dodge County Land Resources and Parks Committee on March 23 heard hours of public comment before voting to table a decision on a conditional use permit for a proposed 5-megawatt solar facility in the Town of Ashpen.

Chair Dan Sigman opened the public hearing and staff read a report outlining the project: a 25-acre facility footprint (23 acres inside a fenced compound) on a 62-acre parcel in A1 prime agricultural zoning, 38 rows of ground-mounted panels, an access road and interconnection poles. Staff said the applicant submitted a decommissioning plan and estimated a 35-year useful life, and identified typical permit conditions (noise and lighting limits, erosion controls, signed decommissioning agreements and permit-duration limits).

Applicant Jacob Van Domelen presented site details, saying panels would be 8–10 feet on racking, no external lighting was planned, and a native-seed vegetative plan including pollinator…