Christian Fiscal Court will consider an ordinance on November 10 that would restrict where and how any potential solar farms would have to operate in Christian County.
Oriden has been planning to construct a large solar farm in the Dogwood community of northeastern Christian County and dozens of neighboring property owners and local farmers have been actively opposed to the concept.
Christian County Attorney John Soyars says he’s drafting an ordinance after looking at the ones proposed by the City of Hopkinsville and approved by Logan County Fiscal Court. It will restrict where Oriden or any other company can construct a solar farm in relation to adjoining properties and it should be ready for first reading and a vote at the November 10 meeting.
He also emphasized that Oriden has yet to apply for a state construction certificate for the proposed development and doing so would create the need for another required public hearing on the matter.
State Senator Whitney Westerfield, who resides in the Dogwood community, was among several speakers against it and he helped Soyars with collaboration on the ordinance. He expressed disappointment it wasn’t on Tuesday’s agenda and voiced many of the same concerns as others have over how a large solar farm would affect Christian County as a whole.
In other action, magistrates heard an update from Pennyrile Electric and Hopkinsville Electric Energy Net regarding their partnership with fiscal court to expand fiber internet access throughout the county. Frances Henderson of Pennyrile says most of the major “backbone” infrastructure for the project should be complete by the end of the year.
Magistrates approved the issuance of $32 million in municipal industrial revenue bonds for Jennie Stuart Health to finance the expansion of the EC Green Cancer Center and emergency room.
Christian County Animal Shelter Director Irene Grace reported 417 pets were brought into the shelter last month and 273 cats and dogs found their forever homes.