During Thursday’s special-called, post-primary election Christian County Fiscal Court session, magistrates approved 6-0 the first reading of the widely-discussed and argued solar installation ordinance — creating a 2,000-foot setback variance for all major solar installations outside of the Hopkinsville city limits.
Squire Mark Wells abstained.
Though the ordinance does allow for mobility and landowner rights, the act comes very specifically, following months of organizing from those in favor and against a planned 500-acre solar farm in Dogwood — courtesy of Mitsubishi offshoot Oriden.
Oriden sent two representatives to Thursday’s session, including Gary Verkleeren, who spoke on Christian County’s beauty and understood where landowners were coming from — but ushered that such a variance would infringe on those who wanted renewable energy options.
Judge-Executive to be, Jerry Gilliam, said he wanted a working relationship with Oriden — or any solar business planner, for that matter — but wasn’t pleased with the idea of “a pause button.”
Sen. Whitney Westerfield, also a resident in the proposed farm’s area, said he was pleased to see the ordinance reading on the court’s agenda, and noted that someone like Verkleeren wouldn’t have to be around to deal with the potential impediments that may or may not lie ahead.
Westerfield further argued that while landowners should absolutely have the rights to do as they see fit on their land, it shouldn’t infringe on others’ lands.
Westerfield also said the ordinance would allow for those interested to impart on large solar farms to take that chance and embrace it fully.
Verkleeren noted that this specific installation, planned with some 500-foot variances, would employ tracker technology — which models lower to the ground with flush panels that reach 5-to-6 feet from the dirt.
Verkleeren added that this specific project in Christian County actually began in 2019, and has since taken root through multiple interested parties — with more than five signing agreements.
A second, final reading will come on November 22.
Citizen’s Discussion
Oriden, Court Discussion
