The Vermilion County Board has rejected a site application for a proposed commercial solar energy facility in Westville. But project manager Simon Courtney says he is not giving-up on plans for the development.
The County Board rejected the site plans after three board members from the Westville-Georgetown area said they had just learned about the proposal.
Board Chairman Larry Baughn thinks the project still has a chance at being approved….
{AUDIO: “When I heard the representatives from that area were a little unfamiliar about the whole project, then that leads me to maybe believe that some of the residents down there are too. When the three representatives…and two of them spoke out that they hadn’t – Mr. McFadden and Miss Mackiewicz – that they really knew little about it. And Mr. Weaver – it encompasses part of his district, too – and he didn’t know much about it until he read his board packet. So, maybe I think we just (need to) do better on the public hearing side of things.’’}
Project Manager Simon Courtney says he followed all of the requirements, noting the proposal was approved earlier by the County’s Wind and Solar Committee. But he adds he will try to do a better job educating the public about it before bringing it back for another vote.
Solar Provider Group is based in Toronto, Canada. It is proposing a two mega-watt solar energy facility on about 13 acres of land on the west side of Westville. It would be located along the 800 block of West Main Street and be able to generate enough electricity to supply about 450 homes. Courtney says that energy would not necessarily have to remain local.
