Logan County's Planning and Zoning Committee busy with wind and solar projects

 

[May 09, 2022] 

At the Logan County Board’s May 4, Planning and Zoning Committee meeting, committee members heard updates on several upcoming projects.

Project updates

The first project discussed was the Top Hat Wind Project. It is a project Invenergy is developing in the Eastern part of Logan County. Currently, Logan County Zoning Officer George Mencken and Logan County Economic Development Director Beth Kavelman are checking in with Invenergy every other week. Invenergy may be presenting road use agreements later this month. Committee Chairman David Hepler said Invenergy representatives hope to come to the board for project approval in August.

Invenergy is also working with Westwood Professional Services on a Decommissioning Plan. Westwood is a large Minnesota based engineering firm many wind and solar projects use.

In April, the board voted to retain TWM/Serena Page for wind and solar engineering consults. Page previously reviewed Mulligan Solar’s decommissioning plans. She is currently reviewing Top Hat’s Decommissioning Plan. Hepler said Page may present her recommendations for the Decommissioning Plan in June.

By September, Pike Creek Wind Project is hoping to come to the board after completing the permitting process.

In a status update, the Mulligan Solar Farm project is progressing well. Hepler said they may have a grand opening sometime this summer.

The subcommittee for the Muck Mining Project recently met. It has been close to a year since the project was presented to the board, so Hepler wants to bring the conditions off the table this month. Hepler plans to propose several conditions for the project.

Hepler is waiting to hear from Logan County States’ Attorney Brad Hauge on the legality of requests made considering usual and customary practices.

To see which requests are compatible with zoning ordinances, Mencken has also been asked to review various requests made.

Another project in development is the Trajectory Energy Solar Farm project. Kavelman is planning to meet soon with CAPCIL representatives Breanne Titus and Melissa Hamblin about it. Titus has also been talking to Kiersten Sheets, Project Development Manager.

This solar project would be in Mount Pulaski. Hepler said they are mini solar farms of around 30 to 35 acres. Hepler said they may present their plans to the board in June.

Under a state program, Hepler said Trajectory is expected to work with a charitable foundation or organization. That way, it ensures some of the proceeds from the project go to more underserved populations. Therefore, a connection with CAPCIL was recommended to Trajectory.

Ag-Land FS, which is hoping to build a dry fertilizer storage facility in Hartsburg would like to be added into the enterprise zone. Hepler said it would be a minimal addition to the Enterprise Zone.

Hepler said Ag-Land FS is considering an additional expansion in Mount Pulaski.

Committee member David Blankenship asked whether the Enterprise Zone would be for both Hartsburg and Mount Pulaski.

For the Enterprise Zone, Mencken said he thought Ag-Land FS was hoping to include both places.

Mulligan Solar Farm had been added to the Enterprise Zone last year. Solar farms now have a high impact designation. Because of that, committee member Keenan Leesman asked if Mulligan Solar Farm’s Enterprise Zone designation may be decertified soon.

At some point, Hepler said that would probably need to be done to get the land back for the Enterprise Zone.

The enterprise zone has limited miles that when construction projects are completed the miles can be reallocated.

The Enterprise Zone for Mulligan Solar was also approved by the city after long discussion. Committee member Annette Welch said she thought the city stipulated how long Mulligan Solar had to keep the Enterprise Zone. She believes it was more than a year and less than two years. The city did want them taken out of the Enterprise Zone at some point though.

[Angela Reiners]