Chambana Sun

The Village of Homer Board of Trustees discussed the pros and cons of a proposed solar farm during the board's Jan. 9 meeting, in which the matter was also discussed with the public.

After much debate, the Village board made the decision to delay any decisions until more information could be gathered and discussed publicly.

"I think that if this (solar farm) is that important to you, I would have a special meeting and only talk about this and use that meeting to articulate what's going to go in this resolution, possibly approving it that night," Village attorney Marc Miller said after the discussion. "Worst case, you're still stirring the pot you, can continue that meeting to another night or you could worst case do it at your regular meeting. But I think you want to have a special meeting and knock this out."

The board was set to discuss the issue at the meeting, originally planning to give its approval or disapproval, but all the public feedback put that plan on hold. Village resident Ted Harkey told the board that the solar farm would create 69 decibels of noise while it runs, and he said that the village would need a minimum of 800 feet of distance between village property and the facility to reflect a noise level of 40 decibels.

The Village has enough jurisdiction to allow for half a mile of space between the solar farm and village property, and Mayor Jim White encouraged asking the developer to give all Homer residents near the area enough distance around it. Resident Adam Young also suggested the same, asking the Village to maximize that setback from the farm, though he said he understood the benefits green power can provide.

White said the Village has not yet gotten enough information from developers to make a final decision.

"I wasn't aware of some of this stuff until two days before the meeting," he said. The site was adjacent to a property owned by the village, and so the Village needs to be kept in the loop. 

"I truly believe that we were not given all the information that we could have been given" by the developer or the County board, and "that is something that I hope to bring up" in the next meeting; White said. "Any kind of project like this that is adjacent to a village property, that Village should be aware of the zoning setbacks" that the county has set aside.

The County likely could override any village concerns over setbacks, but the board decided to discuss it again at its next meeting and submit its findings in writing before the County meets again; White added.