After a proposed photo voltaic power improvement close to North Liberty lately caught many individuals unexpectedly, some St. Joseph County referred to as for a halt to any new approvals, with strict restrictions.
Solar power methods are arising throughout Indiana as utilities search for extra renewable power to handle local weather change. But different members of the Council of St. Joseph County desires to gradual the development.
Republicans Amy Drake and Randy Figg requested the Area Plan for a moratorium on any new giant photo voltaic tasks. Meanwhile, at its month-to-month assembly Tuesday the plan fee will think about Drake and Figg’s ordinance that will require any new photo voltaic tasks to obtain a particular use zoning allow. That would require every mission proposed by builders to be reviewed individually. Solar panels should even be not less than 250 ft from houses.
Hexagon Energy desires to put in photo voltaic panels on as much as 2,500 acres of farmland between North Liberty and Potato Creek State Park. The power might be despatched to AEP’s close by Dumont Substation, one of many largest within the nation.
Figg represents that a part of the county and mentioned he thinks photo voltaic power must be within the combine with all different types of power, together with coal. He famous that he helps the Honeysuckle photo voltaic mission close to New Carlisle.
Figg mentioned he expects a big crowd Tuesday, from opponents and farmers who’ve signed lease agreements on land with Hexagon Energy.
Figg mentioned he heard from a farmer who signed as much as lease 500 of his 2,500 acres for the mission.
“He mentioned, ‘Randy, I’m simply making an attempt to save lots of my farm,'” Figg mentioned. “Because, you already know, they get 3 times the lease. So I see what he is saying. And there’s property rights too. It’s a tricky one, it truly is. You see either side of the story right here.”
The space plan doesn’t must approve the North Liberty mission as a result of a 2020 county ordinance permits photo voltaic power methods on any land zoned for agriculture. If the plan fee provides the brand new photo voltaic ordinance a positive advice, the council might vote on it on July 9.