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Community demands transparency in solar project approval process

October 04, 2024 | Kent County, Maryland


This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »

Community demands transparency in solar project approval process
In a recent government meeting, significant concerns were raised regarding the preliminary site plan approval for the Morgan X Solar project in Kent County. Community members and stakeholders voiced their apprehensions about the project's potential impact on local resources and aesthetics, particularly focusing on the proposed substation and landscaping plans.

Janet, a local resident, urged the planning commission to deny the preliminary site plan approval, citing insufficient information provided by Morgan X Solar. She emphasized the need for detailed assessments of the substation's visual and sound impacts on neighboring properties, advocating for rigorous conditions should the commission decide to proceed with approval.

Elizabeth Watson echoed these sentiments, highlighting that the site's entrance lacks adequate obscuration and calling for a redesign to enhance visual buffering. She also stressed the absence of crucial information regarding the substation's elevation and sound impacts, suggesting that field measurements and computer simulations be conducted to predict noise levels.

Residents Thomas and Bonnie Tucker expressed their personal concerns, particularly about the proximity of the substation to their home. They questioned the project's implications for their quality of life, especially regarding noise from the inverter and the overall visual impact of solar panels in their vicinity.

Environmental advocacy group Shore Rivers contributed to the discussion by addressing stormwater management and buffer design. They recommended minimizing the height of proposed berms to ensure the health of native plant species and mitigate erosion risks associated with the solar panels.

The meeting underscored the community's desire for thorough scrutiny of the solar project, with residents and advocates calling for more comprehensive information and stricter conditions to protect Kent County's vital resources. The planning commission is now tasked with weighing these concerns as they consider the future of the Morgan X Solar project.

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Scribe from Workplace AI
Scribe from Workplace AI