Walton County to Consider Rezone for Aquaponics Greenhouses Powered by Solar Panels

One of the items up for consideration by the Walton County Board of Commissioners at the March 5 meeting is an application by Multigreen Agricultural Community LLC for an aquaponics operation in Monroe. The applicant is seeking to use a 65-acre property at 398 Highway 11 in Monroe to establish an aquaponics system of greenhouses powered only by solar panels. The fish and produce would be available for sale to the local community.

According to the application, aquaponics is an integrated aquaculture (growing fis) and hydroponic (growing soilless plants) that benefits both the environments. It uses no chemicals and requires only 10 percent of the water required for regular agriculture. .

Multigreen Agricultural Community LLC is requesting that it use part of the property for hay farming, which is the current use, some of it be used for the aquoponics and that another 3 or 4 acres be converted to a solar farm. A downside, however, of aquaponics is that it reportedly uses a lot of energy. The solar farm would take care of that and, in addition any excess engergy produced by the solar farm would be sold to Georgia Power.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended allowing the rezoning of the 65 acres from A1 to A for the purposes of the aquaponics and solar farm. This is not the first applicationf or a solar farm in Walton County. The BOC approved a rezoning to allow for a solar farm on Gratis Road in Monroe in September 2011.

Items on the BOC meeting agenda include requests for:

• Approval with conditions - Z12120007 - Rezone .27 acre from A-2 to B-1 for a retail plant nursery for Troy Hensley - 1270 John Stowe Road - District 6
• Approval with conditions - Z13010004 - Rezone 65+/- acres from A-1 to A for aquaponics greenhouses powered by solar panels for MultiGreen Agriculture Comm. - 398 Georgia Highway 11 - District 4
• Approval of CU12120003 - Conditional Use on 7 acres for a guest house for Charles & Janice Collins - 852 Social Circle Fairplay Road - District 4
• Approval of OA12120001 - Amendment to the Walton County Land Development Ordinance as per errata sheet dated 12/3/12

Ordinances

Public Hearing - Amendment to the Walton County Impact Fee Ordinance

Administrative Consent Agenda

Monthly Financial Matters, Contracts, Approval of Meeting Minutes & Ratification of actions taken by the Walton County Water & Sewerage Authority

Personnel

Requests for Staff Additions

Appointments

Development Authority of Walton County

Announcements

• March 20, 2013 - Called Meeting - 12:00 p.m.
• April 2, 2013 - Regular Monthly Meeting - 6:00 p.m.    

See Also:

• LMS Middle School Goes Back to Basics with Farm to School Program

• Walton County BOC Gives the Go Ahead for a Solar Farm