Carson Valley residents upset about proposed 260 acre solar panel project

A proposed solar panel project on 260 acres of Park Cattle Company land won approval by the Douglas County Planning Commission in May, but residents opposing the solar farm with its 148,277 panels are fighting back. They are taking their complaints to the July 2 meeting of the Douglas County Commissioners led by local residents Steve and Mary Walker who filed an appeal right after approval of the planning commission.

The land is on Muller Lane between Genoa Lane and Hwy 395 just north of the Hwy 88/395 junction and will be easily seen from drivers headed to the valley on Kingsbury Grade.

Park Cattle Company and Greenstone Renewables, LLC plan on selling the power generated from the project to both NV Energy and Liberty Utilities. During testimony, Keith Rutledge of Greenstone Renewables said the $80 million project will bring in $19 million in taxes and employ local labor while being created. One on line, there will be just two full time employees.

The Planning Commission vote on May 12 ended in a 4-3 vote with Chairman Frank Godecke, Jim Madsen, Kevin Servatius and Jim Beatty voting in favor of the permit and Margaret Pross, Anje de Knijf and JoEtta Brown voting against.

This was the first instance of a Douglas County board voting in favor of a permit for a large solar panel farm. Earlier in 2015, Bently was denied a permit to build a solar farm on their land near East Valley Road by both planning and county commissioners.

A large crowd is expected at the meeting Thursday. The commissioners expect to spend two hours on the Walker's appeal. The meeting starts at 1 p.m. at 1616 Eighth Street in Minden.