Bath Township residents gathered Wednesday night to discuss plans for a solar farm northeast of Lima with the group planning the project, United Renewable Energy, Inc.
Jacob Espinosa | The Lima News
BATH TOWNSHIP — A week and a half of contention came to a head for Bath Township residents in a meeting to discuss a proposal for a renewable energy project on Wednesday.
Representatives from United Renewable Energy, Inc. led a discussion and shared a presentation to 70 Bath Township residents on their proposal to install a solar panel field at the farm property that sits between Stewart, Lutz, and Loescher Roads, that has caused an uproar since a letter went out notifying them of the meeting and project on Tuesday, October 4.
“I think that a lot was said, and I think a lot of feelings were shared about people being receptive to the idea of solar energy being considered in the area,” said Bath Township Trustee Brad Baxter, who attended the meeting as a resident. “And I think it was pretty clear about what the intention of the affected neighborhood in which it’s being considered is. So I think it was good that we all are better informed tonight than there were before about what is planned. I will say that this is a plan and not necessarily what’s going to happen.”
And the feelings that were shared were largely the same ones that residents felt when the letter was sent.
Residents throughout the room expressed reservations about the ability of URE to reduce noise, maintain aesthetics of both the land and the property overall, invest in the community with increased tax revenue, maintain the financial viability of the business, present a more efficient and economical energy alternative to the community, use local workers and prevent the project from making a nearby floodplain worse.
The URE representatives, Matt Monroe and Executive Vice President Keith Herbs, for their part, tried their hardest to assuage concerns and reiterate to residents the exploratory nature of the meeting.
“That’s why we’re here is to listen to the community and understand the concerns and considerations,” said Herbs. “Our goal is always to be a good steward in the communities where we operate. And so this was a productive forum to do that.”
For now, both parties are expecting a longer process as there will still be more work to do before the plans even get approved, likely taking up to 18 months for an application to come to fruition before construction can begin. After that, construction could take up to 16 months, according to Herbs.
Reach Jacob at 567-242-0399
