Somebody wants to build a solar farm in Effingham County, Georgia, has found a location suitable for Georgia Power’s Advanced Solar Initiative program, and is asking the Effingham County Commission to agree.

This item is on the May 7th and May 21st 2013 agendas for the Effingham County Commission:

VI Appearance 5:30 p.m. HMP Solar

Effingham County also has online Meeting Documents for each meeting. The Meeting Documents for May 21st include this memo from their zoning administrator:

MEMO
Board of Commissioners date: 5‐7‐2013
To: Board of Commissioners
Through: David Crawley
From: George Shaw
Issue: Solar Farms
Analysis: HMP Solar is interested in installing a solar collection farm at 5100 Blue Jay Rd. They will be working through the framework of the Georgia Power Advanced Solar Initiative (GPASI). The program requires the applicants to begin generating power within six months of a signed agreement. The goals of the program are admirable and the site selected by HMP Solar is not very suitable for other development or agricultural purposes so this would be an excellent location for this use. Staff does not see a legal way to shorten the approval for such a project. The land is zoned AR-1. Our zoning ordinance does not discuss this specific use. I, as zoning administrator, would interpret this use as a private utility and would recommend an industrial zoning to be allowed by right. Since the impact on the property is minimal I could also see this use as being allowed conditionally in the AR-1 district. Either way this would take two and a half months to rezone or amend the AR-1 district.

Here’s HMP Solar’s letter to Effingham County:

Chatham County Tax Commissioner records show 102 Mosswood Drive as a house owned by Roger C. Myerly.

Here’s the aerial picture of the site HMP Solar included:

Effingham County Tax Assessors online records show that property as owned by First Chatham Bank, 111 Barnard St, Savannah, GA 31401. Georgia Power owns 2.31 acres 3 miles away on Blue Jay.

Whoever HMP Solar is, they’ve found a property in Effingham County with a Georgia Power easement suitable for building a solar farm.

-jsq

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