Boone County ZBA OKs 200-acre solar farm

Boone County ZBA OKs 200-acre solar farm

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Sep 15 at 10:09 PM

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By Susan Vela
Staff writer

Posted Sep 17, 2018 at 10:47 PMUpdated Sep 17, 2018 at 10:51 PM

BELVIDERE — A proposed 200-acre solar farm — the largest solar power development that’s been pitched in Boone County so far — advanced out of the Zoning Board of Appeals Monday with a whopping 42 conditions.

Included was one where nearby homeowners selling their properties could challenge their appraisals and demand monetary compensation from solar developer Hendricks Solar LLC if the appraisals weren’t to their liking.

“The question is, ‘Will they still proceed with these conditions?’” said Boone County Board member Cathy Ward,who attended the meeting as an observer.

Cypress Creek Renewables of North Carolina indirectly owns Hendricks Solar LLC, which wants to invest $36.4 million to build a solar farm near the intersection of Genoa and Reeds Crossing roads. The project would generate enough power for 2,900 to 3,000 homes.

″(The conditions are) definitely more than we’re accustomed to,” Project Developer Scott Novack said after the ZBA’s 3-1 vote in favor of the project. “We’ll be reviewing them in detail.”

He hopes Hendricks Solar can begin construction by 2020. Construction should take up to 26 weeks.

The company’s proposed solar farm is forecast to generate more than $129,000 in annual property tax revenue. County officials say most of that revenue would aid public schools, though about 10 percent would flow into county coffers.

Request for a special-use permit next goes to the Planning, Zoning & Building Committee, as does the county’s proposed solar ordinance.

Zoning Board of Appeals member Joan Krumm cast the lone nay vote against Hendricks Solar’s request.

Zoning Board of Appeals members did not come to consensus on a solar ordinance that would lay out rules and regulations for solar development proposals. Without a guiding ordinance, the ZBA has been dealing with solar development requests on a case-by-case basis. The solar ordinance received a 2-2 vote, which meant it failed. It still goes to the PZB for consideration. Voting for the solar ordinance were Tony Savino and Brad Fidder. Voting against were Krumm and Steve Schabacker.

Susan Vela: 815-987-1392; svela@rrstar.com; @susanvela

Above is from:  RRSTAR

Boone County Zoning Board of Appeals recommends solar farm

By Courtney Bunting |

Posted: Mon 10:22 PM, Sep 17, 2018  |

Updated: Tue 4:28 AM, Sep 18, 2018

BELVIDERE, Ill. (WIFR) -- The Boone County Zoning Board of Appeals recommended a 200-acre solar farm Monday night.

Developers Cypress Creek Renewables will have to abide by 42 conditions, according to the board's recommendations on Monday.

People living near the development site discussed concerns tonight about a potential decrease in property values and quality of land.

However, developers say they prioritize maintaining quality of land and property and don't think the solar farm will harm those things.

This could be Boone County's largest solar farm. It would be located at the northeast corner of Reeds Crossing and Genoa Road.

The company will have to abide by strict guidelines laid out by the Zoning Board of Appeals tonight.

"So we've had appraisal firms all over the country weigh in on this, and they have a very methodical way of evaluating the impact of property values that are adjacent to various uses. But especially solar, and what they've found, very consistent with the studies they've done in Illinois and Indiana, is that there is no negative impact," said Cypress Creek Renewables Senior Developer Scott Novack.

One of the proposals Cypress Creek Renewables said they would consider tonight would be covering the difference between any changes in property values.

The Boone County Board will consider this solar farm on October 17th at their full board meeting.

If it's approved, developers say it could take around 22 to 26 weeks to construct and would start in either 2019 or 2020.

Above is from:  https://www.wifr.com/content/news/Boone-County-Zoning-Board-of-Appeals-recommends-solar-farm--493548001.html