Special Meeting on Solar Farm Project May 24

A proposed 45-acre solar energy project planned for Warnock Drive will be the subject of a special meeting May 24 called by Ramona Community Planning Group. The meeting is designed to let the public have another look at the project before it goes to the County Planning Commission.

Proponents of the propject are seeking a major use permit. At the special meeting, residents will get to weigh in on the Mitigated Negative Declaration by County staff, which concludes that there is "no substantial evidence that the project as revised will have a significant effect on the environment." The declaration is based on an initial environmental study that covers agricultural soils, natural and archeological resources, noise control, fencing, grading, traffic control, air quality and the Transportation Impact Fee (TIF).

Sol Orchard, a Berkeley company, plans the wholesale distributed generation solar project for part of a hog farm at Warnock Drive and Ramona Street. The company has offered a 25-year lease to property owner Mark Bousema.

The plan has drawn and vociferous . Opponents have expressed concern over the potential visual impact, the reduction of farmland, the change in land use, the possibility of agricultural soil contamination and other issues.

At the May 3 planning group meeting, members agreed that the public should have one last look at the project before it goes to the Planning Commission, which has the power to approve major use permits.

"We owe it to the community to have a full discussion on this," Carl Hickman said.

"The visual impacts are included in the environmental considerations in the Negative Declaration," said Kristi Mansolf. "It really is our opportunity and the community’s opportunity to comment on those type of things."

Planning group member Richard Tomlinson, of Ash Street, took the public floor as a speaker to address the subject. He said he couldn't be part of a special meeting due to a conflict of interest.

"The state requires renewable energy and there aren't enough small homeowners or parks and farms that have come out to support this, so I think we’re going to be forced into this," he said. "A special meeting won’t do any good."

"I also think it’s an exercise in futility but we have to do this for the community," Bob Hailey said.

Fellow planning group member Kevin Wallace commented, "Regardless of whether we can have an impact, we need to say, 'You can’t just come into this community and disregard the opinions of people in this community.' We do have to stand up. We’ll be steamrolled if we don’t."

A copy of the Mitigated Negative Declaration is attached to this article. The report is required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). To see all the documents produced on this project and filed with the County, click here.

The special meeting will be at 7 p.m. May 24 at , 434 Aqua Lane.

The public can send comments to the project manager, Larry Hofreiter at Larry.Hofreiter@sdcounty.ca.gov  by June 1. The Department of Planning and Land Use will respond to the comments before the project goes to the Planning Commission.

"It will take a while for them to compile and address all the comments," Mansolf told Patch after the May 3 planning group meeting. She said she didn't know whether the planning group might file an appeal with the commission if the project is approved. 

Patch would like to hear your opinions on solar energy in general as well as this specific project. Feel free to add your comments below.