The Lancaster County Board on Thursday unanimously approved a special permit for a large solar farm planned east of Lincoln, the last step needed for the developer to move forward with the project over vocal opposition from neighboring landowners.
“The challenge before us, as we’ve identified before and discussed many times, is there’s a lot of balancing to be done here,†said board chairman Rick Vest.
Neighbors whose land surrounds the 1,430 acres stretching from 148th to 190th streets and from O Street to Havelock Avenue oppose the project because of fears of environmental toxins in the solar panels, that they create a fire risk, that the project will lower their property values and ruin the open space they cherish. Some of those landowners would have solar panels on three or four sides of their homes.
Proponents of the project touted the investment the Chicago company’s project would bring, including the environmental benefits of investing in renewable energy, $870,000 in annual property tax revenue that would largely benefit the Waverly school district, construction jobs and increased revenue for landowners who lease property to Ranger Power.
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The County Board’s vote on the special permit included an amendment that addressed some of the landowners’ concerns.
It increased the required setback from any homes on land not leasing to the Ranger Power to 450 feet, required ongoing training with rural fire departments and clarified that in addition to requiring planting six trees every 100 feet as screening, those trees must be at least 4 feet tall. It also requires that the company — or whoever operates the farm — maintain those trees.
The land is about half of what’s needed for the 2,800 acres of the proposed 250-megawatt farm, and the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission and the City Council have already approved the special permit for the other half — an area from 120th to 148th streets that’s inside the city’s jurisdiction.
The planning commission ultimately signed off on a special permit for the county portion, but only after two votes and substantial debate.
Much of the sticking point on the county land is a provision that would allow panels to be placed on agricultural outlots, which are open spaces that are part of acreage developments in what are known as community unit plans.Â
The County Board had previously increased the setback to 300 feet on property that was part of the community unit plans, though neighbors had argued for 500 feet. The amendment expands the 450-foot setback to all dwellings — not just those that are part of the community unit plans.
“This means everybody ... all residences, will have at least a football field and a half between themselves and a solar panel,†said Commissioner Sean Flowerday, who offered the amendment.
Commissioner Deb Schorr noted that a special permit can be reviewed or revoked at any time by the County Board.
“That puts pressure on the developer and operator to maintain that relationship with neighbors,†she said. “To me, it’s important that it’s not just built and left — that there’s that ongoing relationship.â€
Vest said the County Board supports responsible development and companies that do everything they can to be good neighbors.
“That hasn’t always happened, but that’s what we’re expecting at this point.â€