Solar farm advances
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on January 27, 2016 1:46 PM
Goldsboro's planning commission has approved a rezoning proposal that would allow Heights Solar Farm to build a solar farm off of Thoroughfare Road.
But before the project gets off the ground, the Goldsboro City Council must vote to accept the planning commission's recommendation. The Council will take up the issue at its meeting Feb. 1.
The solar farm has been the subject of two public hearings in the past month.
At the first, Peter Stewart, a resident near the site where the proposed solar farm would be constructed, spoke in opposition to the solar farm, citing multiple concerns.
During the second public hearing, the co-developer that would help build the solar farm -- ESA Renewables -- had several people attend to address concerns presented by neighbors.
One of the chief concerns was the depreciation of property values that some said a solar farm would cause.
Rich Kirkland, a licensed real estate appraiser who has done more than 30 studies on solar farms and their effect on property values, told the Goldsboro City Council during the second hearing that there would be no property value depreciation to surrounding properties caused by the solar farm.
Another concern raised by Seymour Johnson Air Force Base related to the glare the solar farm would produce, as it would be located directly in two flight paths that travel to and from the base.
SJAFB requested a solar glare study be conducted by the applicant, in response to which the applicant conducted glare tests for 22 different cases and the analysis conducted by the applicant indicated there would be no glare interference caused by the solar farm.
At Monday night's planning commission meeting, the planning commission indicated that SJAFB had given its OK for the solar farm project to move forward.
The city's Assistant Planning Director, Jennifer Collins, indicated the solar farm would be constructed with a 50-foot barrier around the edge of the property, which would enable it to be concealed by woods in the area.
The farm would be 43 acres in size.