Casa Grande could be site of solar farm
The Pinal County Board of Supervisors recently approved an amendment to the comprehensive plan of the county, allowing for the possible building of a solar farm near the airport in Casa Grande, according to an article in the Casa Grande Dispatch.
The amendment changes the zoning on a site comprising 265 acres from ‘low density residential’ to ‘employment’. The State Land Trust owns the land, and would lease it to Energy One LLC, which plans to build a “photo-voltaic solar energy production facility”, commonly called a solar farm, on the property.
The property under consideration is located west of Thornton Road, and between McCartney Road and Rodeo Road. The whole project comprises 438 acres, and the land is currently vacant. Officials working with issues like this can use flyer printing to present facts to residents.
There have been objections to the plan. One resident has a Special Land Use Permit allowing her to graze cattle on the site, and says the agreement was recently renewed. Also, building the solar farm would require a realignment of McCartney Road.
The applicant’s planner, Jessica Sarkissian, said Energy One has been working on the zoning concerns with Casa Grande, and hopes to minimize residents’ concerns about the airport. If the solar farm wins final approval, construction could begin in 2019, with the plant producing electricity in 2020. The farm would provide enough energy to power 20,000 homes.
The amendment changes the zoning on a site comprising 265 acres from ‘low density residential’ to ‘employment’. The State Land Trust owns the land, and would lease it to Energy One LLC, which plans to build a “photo-voltaic solar energy production facility”, commonly called a solar farm, on the property.
The property under consideration is located west of Thornton Road, and between McCartney Road and Rodeo Road. The whole project comprises 438 acres, and the land is currently vacant. Officials working with issues like this can use flyer printing to present facts to residents.
There have been objections to the plan. One resident has a Special Land Use Permit allowing her to graze cattle on the site, and says the agreement was recently renewed. Also, building the solar farm would require a realignment of McCartney Road.
The applicant’s planner, Jessica Sarkissian, said Energy One has been working on the zoning concerns with Casa Grande, and hopes to minimize residents’ concerns about the airport. If the solar farm wins final approval, construction could begin in 2019, with the plant producing electricity in 2020. The farm would provide enough energy to power 20,000 homes.