Pinal County approves zoning for 145-MW Ore Town solar project and BESS
August 05, 2026 | Pinal County, Arizona
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The Pinal County Board of Supervisors voted to approve two ordinance actions to allow construction of the Ore Town Solar Project on about 1,227± acres east of San Manuel.
The board approved Ordinance No. 2026-PZ-033-25 to rezone the site to I-3 Industrial and Ordinance No. 2026-PZ-PD-022-25 to establish a Planned Area Development overlay that applies development standards for the proposed utility-scale photovoltaic facility and an accompanying battery energy storage system (BESS). The action summary records the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval; the Board approved the rezone with one stipulation and approved the PAD overlay as presented with 17 stipulations.
The project description in the agenda lists an approximately 145-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic generation facility and an approximately 145-MW BESS on portions of several sections in Township 09S–10S, Range 17E of the Gila and Salt River Base and Meridian. The applicant was listed as 310SM 8me, LLC (a subsidiary of Avantus) with Stephen Anderson, Gammage & Burnham, PLC, identified as agent; BHP Copper Inc. was listed as landowner. The item was continued from the July 1, 2026 Board meeting and approved on Aug. 5, 2026.
County staff and the Planning & Zoning record show the approvals included multiple stipulations intended to govern project development; the Board’s action summary does not enumerate each stipulation in full. Next steps are permitting and compliance with the stipulations and any conditions established by county staff and the PAD overlay. The ordinance approvals were recorded on the Board’s Aug. 5, 2026 action summary.
The board approved Ordinance No. 2026-PZ-033-25 to rezone the site to I-3 Industrial and Ordinance No. 2026-PZ-PD-022-25 to establish a Planned Area Development overlay that applies development standards for the proposed utility-scale photovoltaic facility and an accompanying battery energy storage system (BESS). The action summary records the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval; the Board approved the rezone with one stipulation and approved the PAD overlay as presented with 17 stipulations.
The project description in the agenda lists an approximately 145-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic generation facility and an approximately 145-MW BESS on portions of several sections in Township 09S–10S, Range 17E of the Gila and Salt River Base and Meridian. The applicant was listed as 310SM 8me, LLC (a subsidiary of Avantus) with Stephen Anderson, Gammage & Burnham, PLC, identified as agent; BHP Copper Inc. was listed as landowner. The item was continued from the July 1, 2026 Board meeting and approved on Aug. 5, 2026.
County staff and the Planning & Zoning record show the approvals included multiple stipulations intended to govern project development; the Board’s action summary does not enumerate each stipulation in full. Next steps are permitting and compliance with the stipulations and any conditions established by county staff and the PAD overlay. The ordinance approvals were recorded on the Board’s Aug. 5, 2026 action summary.
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