2 solar farms denied in Bureau County after hearing residents’ concerns

The Bureau County Board took the advice of the Planning and Zoning Committee on Tuseday when it denied the conditional use to build and operate two solar farms after the public and officials voiced safety concerns, decreasing home values and decreased enjoyment of outdoor living spaces.

Zearing Solar 1 and 2 LLC, a 4.5 MW project, would consist of solar panels, racking, foundation piles, inverters and overhead poles and lines and perimeter fencing on the northwest corner of the intersection of 2100 N. Ave and 2950 E. St.

Melissa Fetzer, a Bureau county resident, said Zearing Solar Farm 1 and Zearing Solar Farm 2 would be placed right in the middle of three homes – one of them is hers, and the other two are her neighbors. She said according to independent studies, the proximity of the farms to their homes that their home values could decrease from 7% to 30%.

Fetzer said there are copies of the independent studies in the zoning office for those who wish to look at them.

“Besides the appraised value,” she said. “The loss of view is one thing. We built our house and the views are to the north. We added a big deck and instead of this county view we’re going to see 20,000 plus 12 to 20-foot solar panels.”

Aside from the loss of view, Fetzer also said she wears hearing aids so, there would be a constant “humming” noise in the background if she were ever to venture outside to attempt to enjoy her deck.

“We won’t be able to use our deck in the day,” she said. “Or in the nice days only the nice days and who wants to use it then.”

Teresa Kiest, a Bureau County resident, said Zearing Solar Farm 1 and Zearing Solar Farm 2 would engulf and destroy her parent’s dream home and endanger their safety by essentially barricading them in their home during winter days.

“When my parents get snowed in and can’t get in or out,” she said. “And emergency vehicles can’t get in or out who will be held accountable? The people who allowed it to happen? The people who built it? Both? The accountability will fall somewhere and one someone.”

Berlin Township Road Commissioner Neil Gillan said he agreed the solar farms would create a “snow fence” and it would become a safety issue. He said the county cannot allow 20-some thousand solar panels on the acreage and not expect more runoff.

Gillan said he wasn’t against solar panels, but he didn’t think they needed to be put in that location. He also said that on page 66 of the county zoning ordinance, the facility owner should enter into a road use agreement and he had not had anything in writing.

Following public comment, Planning and Zoning Chairman Derek Whited said Zearing Solar 1 LLC was denied 3-0 by the Planning and Zoning Committee because of neighbor concerns, a decrease in property values, safety concerns with the 7 foot fence, and village and township objections among others.

The board unanimously voted no.

Zearing Solar 2 LLC was denied 3-0 by Planning and Zoning, as well. The board again unanimously voted no.

The same company, GreenKey Solar, had requested three other conditional-use solar farms during Tuesday’s meeting but they withdrew, Cherry Solar 1. The other two, Rocky Mountain Elk Solar 2 and Johnson Lake Solar 2 were approved.