ABOVE: (L to R) Danville Planning and Zoning Commission members Troy Savalick, Ashton Greer, Pete Goodwin, Michael Hall, and Tammy Wilson. Aaron Troglia and Adam Brown were not in attendance.
With five of seven members present at Thursday (Aug 7th) evening’s meeting, the Danville Planning and Zoning Commission has voted unanimously to not recommend a 23.8 acre solar energy facility at Perrysville and Markley Roads to the City Council. A capacity crowd of about 50 filled the City Hall Chambers; with 20 residents, some of them speaking more than once, all speaking against the Summit Ridge Energy proposal, which would be on land owned by Martin Farms out of Indiana. The proposal would be within one-and-a-half miles of Danville City Limits, giving the city authority over the zoning.
One of those who spoke was Dennis Fox. He said; look, Danville lost plenty of industry, so he moved to the agricultural side. And that should be left alone.
AUDIO: And I was in a position where I was working in all these industries. So I had to figure out how to maintain my business, so I looked around and saw agriculture. “(I figured) they’re not going to move agriculture.” So now they’re trying to take away the agriculture, moving the farms. So not only do they move the factories out, close them out and move them away; now they’re taking the farm land out. What’s that going to do to a community.
(1st Picture) Large crowd prepares for Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. (2nd Picture) Dennis Fox takes his turn to speak.
Also speaking, Diana Schultz; who lives on land her family’s had for a long time. And she likes things just the way they are.
AUDIO: I don’t know what it’ll do to animals. It’ll probably chase them all away. I don’t know if we’ll even, have ability to even have animals to see; and like I said, I lease some of my property for hunting to help pay for my bills. And I probably won’t be able to have that any more; because if the animals aren’t there, it’ll probably terminally affect that.
(1st Picture) Diana Schultz takes her turn speaking. (2nd Picture) Community Development Administrator Logan Cronk tells the commission, prior to their vote, to take into consideration what was heard from the residents.
But now, due to the commissions 5-0 NO vote, the plan now needs a supermajority vote from the Danville City Council for passage. Community Development Administrator Logan Cronk did not tell the commission how to vote. But he did tell them to listen closely to those who came to this public hearing. Because one of the purposes of zoning is to protect the surrounding neighbors.
AUDIO: (It’s) very important for the public to come and give their comment. We need to know who this is actually impacting; “we” being the commission or the city staff. And that’s what you saw tonight.
Tonya Hill, who was busy earlier in the week rallying against a proposed major solar farm in the Catlin area; like what she saw Thursday night.
AUDIO: These ordinances are set to protect the neighbors. And this is what we’re doing there. This is not why we build out in the country.
The proposal will go before the full Danville City Council, needing that super-majority vote, on August 19th.
