Franklintown Farm LLC has been approved for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for four adjoining properties in Jefferson County, three owned by Mark Stolipher and one owned by Michael Paul Chapman, Trustees, to build a utility scale solar project with associated substation and 20MW Battery Energy Storage System.
What To Do:
Attend the workshop and give public comment at the Jefferson County Planning Commission this Tuesday, September 10 at 7:00 p.m.
Read the Concept Plan found in the Agenda Packet here.
We believe that this project does not conform to Jefferson County Zoning and Land Development Ordinance section 6.3. A. 2. 3. 4. and 7, and therefore should be denied.
- Section 6.3. A. 2. states: “The proposed use is compatible in intensity and scale with the existing and potential land uses on the adjoining and confronting properties, and poses no threat to public health, safety and welfare.”This project will be over 500 acres and the largest surrounding properties appears to be less than 150 acres with most of the properties being far smaller.
- The intensity of utility scale electricity production is not compatible with crop or beef farming or rural residential living.
- The impacts of stormwater runoff from the massive construction and ongoing operation have the real potential to impact ground and surface water quality negatively impacting the health and safety of the public.
- The large 20MW batteries have the potential to cause a large fire well beyond the capacity of the all-volunteer already stretched thing local fire departments, risking the public health and safety.
- Section 6.3. A. 3. states: “The proposed site development shall be such that the use will not hinder nor discourage the appropriate development and use of adjacent land and buildings.”
- This project certainly has the potential to hinder and discourage the appropriate development of rural land around it into agriculture and rural residential use due to the impacts on property value, view shed, water resources, and the general health, safety, and welfare of those living and owning land nearby.
- Section 6.3. A. 4. states: “Neighborhood character and surrounding property values shall be safeguarded by requiring implementation of the landscaping buffer requirements found in Appendix B and Section 4.11 of this Ordinance.”
- This development, due to its scale, impact on the view shed, and potential negative impacts on water resources, has the clear and obvious potential to negatively impact the neighborhood character and surrounding property values.
- The required landscaping will not safeguard from this impact.
- Section 6.3. A. 7. addresses historic landmarks: There is a historic landmark and a human burial area affected by the site. It is not clear that the appropriate measures including making the historic land marks commission aware of the project.