A Pulaski County solar farm proposal can keep moving ahead, but with a number of stipulations. The county’s board of zoning appeals Monday unanimously approved a special exception request for the proposed Mammoth Solar project but added a list of conditions and commitments for the developer.
That includes a property value guarantee to owners of certain neighboring properties. The developer will also have to meet with local fire departments to coordinate safety planning and cover the cost of any specialized training the firefighters may need.
Monday’s vote came after two-and-a-half hours of additional public comment, plus almost another hour of board discussion. Catherine Evans was among the residents urging the BZA to hold off on approval. “You know how this is going to affect your family and the residents of this community,” she said, “and there are so many unknowns and risks that are willing to just be thrown aside for the financial gain of few.”
The hearing occasionally became heated, and two speakers were escorted away by the Sheriff’s Office. A number of studies on solar projects’ potential impact on property values were presented on behalf of the developer, county, and opponents of the project. Some in attendance argued that the developer hadn’t given enough information for the BZA to make a good decision, while the developer said more specifics would be worked out during the building permit process.
The possible health impact was another one of the many topics that were debated. Melody Callander with Inovateus Solar, one of several experts brought in by the developer to answer questions, said the radiation concerns would be minimal. “You get more EMF from your cell phone than you will from anything within the solar array,” Callander said. “Just walking and talking on your cell phone is going to give you more exposure to that radiation than the whole of 30 years of a solar array being installed.”
There are still a number of steps that remain before the Mammoth Solar project could get the necessary building permits. Among other things, economic development, drainage, and road use and maintenance agreements would still have to be finalized.
