The Pulaski County Board of Zoning Appeals wants more time before deciding whether a solar farm proposal can move ahead with its permitting process. After almost two hours of public comment Monday, board members voted to table the Mammoth Solar special exception request, to give them more time to research the project’s potential impact on the environment, ecology, and wildlife, as well as residents’ health.
Board Member Phil Woolery said he wasn’t comfortable making a decision yet. “I think I need a little bit more time,” he said. “I need to research some, talk to some different experts around, regarding farmland values and that, and talking to some wildlife experts to register what kind of impacts they think would happen.”
The developers said Pulaski County is well-suited to the project because of its proximity to two power grids, the availability of flat land, and the fact that it has rules in place allowing for solar development. They said the solar farm would generate enough power to serve about 80,000 people and would create up to 40 full-time jobs.
The public reaction during Monday’s hearing was relatively mixed. Some of the criticisms included the potential impact on local fire departments, the loss of agricultural land, and the speed at which the developers worked to secure contracts with landowners and zoning permission from the county.
Those in support generally felt the project would give property owners another way to earn revenue off of their land and allow Pulaski County to benefit from the shift to renewable energy. Scott Fritz was among those calling for the board’s approval. “I think this is a great opportunity for Pulaski County,” he said. “We need to take advantage of it. It may not last forever.”
It could also bring in more money for the county government, and plans are in the works to have a study done to figure out how much. The supporters and opponents disputed the solar farm’s potential impact on the county’s property values.
The Pulaski County Board of Zoning Appeals plans to revisit the issue on August 24. If the special exception is approved, the county and developers would then negotiate specifics related to drainage, decommissioning, road use and maintenance, and payments to the county. Once those are finalized, the project could then be considered for a building permit.
Click here to view the developer’s presentation from Monday’s meeting.
