Navajo County authorizes development agreement for 650-MW solar and 400-MW battery project with $6 million community benefit

Navajo County's Board of Supervisors on a unanimous voice vote authorized the county chair to execute a development agreement for a proposed utility-scale solar-plus-storage project described in the agenda as being submitted by "Sygenus LLC," subject to reconciliation of the agreement's decommissioning appendix.

The project as presented to the board would include up to 650 megawatts of photovoltaic solar generation and a 400-megawatt battery-energy-storage system sited on roughly 3,700 acres about 10 miles north of Snowflake, with a short generation-tie line (about 200 feet). Planning Manager Cody Cooper told the board that staff's completeness review found the submittal met or exceeded the county's zoning ordinance standards on setbacks, signage and other technical requirements and that the developer had agreed to additional mitigations including fencing that incorporates wildlife movement corridors and shielded, motion-activated lighting to preserve dark-sky characteristics.

"What's proposed here is up to 650 megawatts of photovoltaic solar energy," Cody Cooper said, summarizing the project components and the staff review. He also said the applicant had offered a decommissioning commitment that goes deeper than local standards, proposing to remove components to a depth of 48 inches (four feet) on decommissioning rather than the 36-inch standard in the ordinance.

Salt River Project representative Buchanan Davis, who identified himself as the project's prospective offtaker, described the role renewable projects play in grid reliability and capacity. "Solar and even battery storage keeps the lights on when demand is high, gives us flexibility, capacity, and reduces reliance on costly wholesale markets," Davis said.

Board materials and staff discussion described a proposed $6,000,000 community-benefit package intended to help the county and affected local service providers manage project impacts. The contract language presented to the board would require a $250,000, nonrefundable payment within 30 days and the balance within 270 days; the board would later determine how to allocate the funds as part of its annual budget process. County staff noted that because state incentives reduce assessed value for renewables, the property-tax receipts are front-loaded and decline over a 35-year project life, so the community-benefit payment was framed as a mitigation and partnership measure.

The developer also voluntarily proposed limiting panel washing to twice per year to reduce onsite water use; staff explained that water entitlements and any off-site water transport for construction or dust control remain subject to the Arizona Department of Water Resources and are not directly controlled by the county.

Local landowner Claire Brophy Bellander, who identified herself as managing Aztec Land and Cattle''s renewable portfolio and as one of two private landowners on the project, urged the board to approve the agreement, saying the project complies with the county's updated ordinance and provides tangible local benefits.

Before the final motion the board moved into executive session to receive legal advice. After reconvening, Supervisor [Committee member] moved to authorize the chair to execute the development agreement once Exhibit E (the decommissioning plan) was reconciled with the agreement text; the motion was seconded and passed by vocal aye votes with no opposition recorded on the floor.

Transcript inconsistency on developer name: the meeting agenda lists the proposer as "Sygenus LLC," while staff and some presentation slides later used the name "Cygnus" in describing the project. The board's action used the materials on the dais; the record shows the discrepancy but the authorization ties execution to reconciliation of the decommissioning appendix rather than to a change of developer name.

What happens next: the board authorized the chair to sign the agreement after Exhibit E is reconciled; the county will receive the initial nonrefundable payment if the developer proceeds, and staff said county departments will coordinate details of road use, emergency response planning (the parcels are outside a local fire district), and bond and reclamation requirements prior to construction.

Action recorded: motion to authorize the county chair to execute the development agreement conditional on reconciliation of Exhibit E (decommissioning plan); motion seconded and passed unanimously (no roll-call tally provided in the transcript).