Dougherty Commission approves 1,089-acre solar farm rezoning | Local News

ALBANY — The Dougherty County Commission on Monday approved a solar farm on a 1,089-acre tract of farmland generally located north and northeast of the intersection of Moultrie Road and Spring Flat Road. Dougherty County Solar LLC, an associate of NEXTera Energy, requested the commission approve rezoning the land from AG (agricultural district) to a special agriculture zoning exception.

NEXTera will build a 120-megawatt solar farm on the land. The power generated by the facility will be sold to Georgia Power.

The company already has three similar facilities in Georgia in Taylor, Burke and Candler counties. Project Manager Stephen Land said the proposed $300 million project will involve the installation of more than 440,000 solar collectors, which would rotate to track the sun.

The project was tabled until Monday to allow the board to hear input from Daniel Geller, a county extension associate from the University of Georgia

“This technology is here to stay,” Geller said. “The farm will be there for 30 years. The power it will produce is cheaper and cleaner than coal. It’s safe and the only concern is aesthetics. Georgia is currently sixth in the country in new solar power installations.”

The county will make money from the resell to Georgia Power.

“I liken it to pouring water into the river, and it will have absolutely no impact on the people living near it,” Geller added. “Dougherty County needs to get on the train now because it is an economic development for rural Georgia.”

County Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas agreed.

“There is virtually no maintenance and it has a far lower overhead than coal,” he said.

There are a lot of advantages to solar panels and, economically, now is a good time to invest in solar technology, Geller noted.

NEXTera officials said taxes on the facility will pump more than $10 million in revenue to county coffers over the life of the project.

In other action items the commission:

— Approved a resolution providing for the filing of a grant application with the Georgia Department of Transportation for the purpose of providing funds for the design and construction of a segment of the Flint River Trails Master Plan designated as the Chehaw Connector connecting Chehaw Park across the Philema Road bridge to Cox Landing, the Riverfront Trail and Downtown Albany. The city and county will contribute $250,000 each, and the state will add an additional $1.1 million to the project;

— OK’d the acceptance of the required Resolution updating the authorized signers on county Suntrust business accounts;

— Accepted a required resolution updating and authorizing 9-1-1 charges on telephone services.