Madison County board approves solar farm, refers two other solar petitions back to committee

The Madison County Board on Wednesday approved a zoning petition to allow a solar installation sited on an abandoned strip mine and referred two separate solar petitions back to committee for further review.

Board member Madison moved to adopt Z250049, a petition by Madison County Solar FE1 LLC on behalf of Daniel and Deborah Wilson to site panels on a former mine opening about 600 feet from the nearest home. After discussion, including concerns about environmental and efficiency issues, the board carried the motion on a roll-call vote.

Board member Dickerson said he would oppose the project on principle. "I really just struggle with solar in a point of what their efficiency ratings are and the chemicals that are in them that we don't know," he said, adding that he understood the parcel had limited alternative uses but remained uncomfortable with solar technology on principle.

Board member Aker defended the location, saying it was "the perfect place for one of these solar farms" because it is largely hidden and not suitable for other uses. "It won't be seen by too much of the public, and there's nothing else you can use the land for anyway," Aker said.

Separately, Board member Madison asked that two other petitions — identified on the agenda as resolutions E250057 (Morrow Solar) and E250059 (Roxford Solar LLC) — be referred back to committee because changes had been made to the proposals. The board voted by voice to send both items back for additional discussion and analysis, including examination of the changes and further engagement with affected neighbors.

Madison said the Wilson project occupies an abandoned, tree‑surrounded former mine site and emphasized that the committee had voted to overturn an earlier ZBA denial. Opponents and some board members asked for more information about impacts on farmland value and alternative agricultural productivity. Board member Steltmore suggested the committee develop comparative productivity data — what the land would yield in crops versus solar output — to better inform valuation and siting decisions.

The board also revisited an earlier denial for a separate Wanda Road site and, after the solar company and neighborhood representatives negotiated concessions (setbacks and additional tree screening), rescinded the denial and approved the petitions subject to the agreed conditions.

What happens next: The two referred petitions will return to the relevant committee for more detailed review; the adopted petition becomes effective as a zoning decision after the board's recorded approval.

Votes and procedural notes: The record shows the motion on Z250049 was seconded and passed on the board's roll call. The referral of the two petitions to committee passed by a voice vote.