Ottawa panel backs south side solar project following latest review

After more than two months of deliberation, the Ottawa Plan Commission has once again voted to recommend a proposed solar panel project on the city’s south side, sending the project back to the Ottawa City Council for a final decision next week.

At the Plan Commission’s regular meeting Tuesday night, Bill French, a representative from developer SunVest Solar, gave commission members another presentation on the proposed solar project.

This presentation looked to address the specific health concerns that nearby residents have raised since the beginning of the process.

French began by detailing how far the solar panels would be from nearby homes and property lines.

The closest panel would be about 137 feet from a property line and 217 feet from the nearest home, well beyond the minimum distances required by the city.

French also said that although the full property, located off Canal Road near the ADM terminal, is about 64 acres, only 19 acres would be used for the solar project.

The rest of the land, about 45 acres, would be donated to the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation.

The foundation intends to keep the land in its natural form and could include walking trails and other low-impact public uses, French said.

French addressed the health concerns raised by the Sampsons, a family living near the proposed site who raised concerns at previous meetings, specifically those related to electromagnetic fields. He emphasized that the EMF levels associated with solar farms are extremely low – often lower than those given off by common household devices such as microwaves and cellphones.

Citing third-party studies and established safety standards, French said there is no credible scientific evidence linking solar farms to negative health effects.

He added that the equipment used on-site, such as inverters and transformers, would be shielded and located far from residential property lines, further reducing any potential exposure.

French also noted that he believes a solar farm is quieter and less disruptive than other industrial projects that could be built on the land.

“I think in comparison to what could possibly be going here, this project is a great neighbor,” French said.

Melissa Sampson, whose family owns the property next door to the potential project, was the only person to speak during the public comment period at the meeting.

Sampson began by referencing the conclusion of the last council meeting, when Commissioner Wayne Eichelkraut acknowledged that the Sampsons had a valid point with the long-term impact of the solar project still relatively unknown.

In her view, nothing significantly new had been added since the initial proposal.

The additional information provided, clarifying zoning language and setbacks, didn’t address the deeper concerns her family had.

“I think there’s still too much we don’t know,” Sampson said.

In closing, Sampson warned the commission that installing solar panels is not easily reversible and called for a more cautious approach.

The risks, she argued, might not be clear now but could be significant in the years to come.

“Let’s not look back in 30 years and wish we had taken more time to get this right,” she said.

In what is expected to be the project’s last stop, the City Council will vote during its meeting next week at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 3, at Ottawa City Hall.

If the project is approved by the council, it would be the first solar panels to operate within city limits.