A decision on a 4,500-acre solar farm proposal is expected tonight. The Pulaski County Board of Zoning Appeals held off on granting a special exception last month, as members wanted more time to research the project’s potential impact on the environment, ecology, and wildlife, as well as residents’ health.
The proposal has sparked widespread community debate, but project developer Global Energy Generation President Nick Cohen is confident that it has the county’s support. “We believe that we’re fulfilling the will of the community,” Cohen says. “We know we’re fulfilling the will of the county because the county ordinance for solar was designed to attract a large solar project, and we responded to that and here we are today putting together something that’s going to benefit every single person in this community.”
But opponents argue that the solar farm could have a number of drawbacks, including a drop in neighboring property values. The county plans to have a financial impact analysis done, but only if the special exception is approved.
Cohen points out that there are still a number of steps remaining before solar panels may start appearing on Pulaski County farms. “So Monday night is only about getting a yes or no that we can move forward,” he explains. “It is not about the building permit. That’s a whole other process, and we have to present a land development plan and we have to conduct environmental studies, wildlife studies. There’s a whole hosts of tasks that we have to complete, including an economic development agreement that defines exactly what our taxable impact will be on the county.”
Tonight’s Pulaski County BZA meeting starts at 6:00 EDT at the Pulaski County Highway Garage in Winamac.
