A crowd of irate farmers and large acreage owners delivered scathing predictions about the future impact of proposed solar farms in Warren County during a public hearing last Thursday, rejecting reassurances from industry experts testifying on the proposals.

The county’s planning and zoning board met Nov. 19 to consider the proposed boundaries of two solar energy districts submitted by developers Invenergy and Ranger Power. The projects were submitted under subsidiary names Split Rail Solar Energy and Blue Bird Solar, respectively.

This is the second of three stages to approving the two massive solar farms that would occupy a combined 6,225 acres in northern Warren County.

The planning board needs to make a recommendation on the solar district maps before they go to the Warren County Commission for a final decision. Planning board members held off any decision Thursday night, after almost 4 hours of testimony for and against.

Much of the debate was retreading ground that was already gone over when the county decided to allow solar farms in the first place. Almost 50 land owners have signed long term lease deals with the solar companies and support the projects. But many neighbors, some of whom would be entirely surrounded by solar farm, complained that none of them want to look at the “ugly” solar panels, and are sure that their property values will decrease as a result of the developments.

No trust in developers

Anticipating that opponents would repeat their concerns about property values, the developers submitted economic impact studies and called in industry experts to testify that large-scale solar farms don’t have a negative impact on nearby property values.

“We certainly recognize there are perceptions of property value loss,” said Ranger Power developer Peter Endres. “But when you look at actual sales transactions, and you stack the numbers up, it’s very clear. The evidence supports no demonstrable loss in property values.”

Responding to those who simply don’t want to see solar panels, Invenergy developer Michelle Pavan pointed out that Warren County will require the developers to plant vegetative screening, blocking the line of sight between the panels and any nearby public roads or houses. Pavan also introduced several project managers to discuss things like wetland management, ground cover and engineering.

Of the 49 property owners participating in the solar districts, only a few were present to speak in favor of the projects.

Their neighbors who don’t want solar farms said the whole thing was hogwash.

“You can’t tell me that my property value won’t go down,” said one woman, who was among over a dozen landowners expressing skepticism for the promises of the solar companies.

Continuing that thought, another commenter told the planning board his property value represents a significant portion of his life’s savings, which he said the county is about to gamble with. 

Multiple property owners insisted that the Warren County Commission create property value protections or compensation before allowing the projects to go forward.

Decision postponed

Members of the planning and zoning board spent a combined 20 minutes debating whether they should recommend the solar district boundaries to be approved. Member Martha Groeper said she felt landowners had a valid concern for their property values.

“We need to make some kind of recommendation to our commissioners ... of some type of protection or guarantee, or something on behalf of the residents that are within or surrounding the area. They need some kind of protection for their property value,” Groeper said.

P&Z member Corey Johnston presented the board with a report suggesting the idea has precedent at a solar farm in Indiana.

But saying they needed time to review all the information from both sides, the planning board postponed a recommendation for either solar district map until a future public meeting.

No additional public comment will be accepted at the next meeting.

What comes next

If the planning and zoning board does vote in favor of the solar district maps, the maps would go to the Warren County Commission for final approval at a later date. If approved, the solar companies would still have to go through a third and final step of getting their operation off the ground.

Warren County is requiring solar developers to acquire an annual operating permit from the county. That includes paying a substantial permit fee, which for both developers together will add up to almost $1 million per year.

The commission has promised to divide that money among local public services such as schools and emergency districts.