Fayette hosted a heated hearing on a proposed 1,700-acre solar farm on Wednesday, sparking community debate.
FAYETTE, Ohio — Fayette High School's lunchroom was home to a heated public hearing Wednesday evening on a proposed solar project.
CG Fulton County has proposed a 1,700-acre solar farm in Gorham Township, which would be connected by a 2.2-mile transmission line to the East Fayette Substation. News of the 199-megawatt facility caused a stir in the surrounding community, prompting the Ohio Power Siting Board to host a public hearing.
Proponents of the solar plant include Fayette resident Trevor Hibbard, who says that the projected $1.7 million it would bring in in tax revenue is a major selling point.
"We live in a poor community," Hibbard said. "We don’t have a lot of industry here, so, it’s a huge amount of money for our community."
Several of the opponents to the project say that the solar farm would be an eyesore. A few even suggested that it would harm their businesses.
Katey Schaffner is co-owner and operator of T22, a nearby agritourism business that aims to teach children about farming in an authentic environment.
"Our scenic hay ride that we proudly advertise travels through the woods and colorful fall foliage currently overlooks bean and cornfields," Schaffner said. "If Ritter's application is approved, it would be overlooking an industrial solar field. How festive."
For others, this is a civil liberties issue. Members of the Ohio Land and Liberty Coalition, a conservative group focusing on green technology and private property, stressed that landowners who wish to be part of the solar plant should have that right.
"At the end of the day, this is not about a solar farm," said Ryan Santa Maria, a spokesperson for the organization. "This is about if we allow our government to continue dictating the lives of private citizens. We have to protect our rights now while we still have them."
But some community members do not disagree with the solar panels in premise, just execution.
“I’m not saying solar is a bad thing. I think there are great things about solar,” said Fayette resident Les Seiler. “But I think putting it on some of the best farm ground around is a bad thing.”
Seiler says that the proposed solar farm will impact the groundwater of farms in the area surrounding it.
"We share drainage across the watershed," he said. "When you're threatened to lose your drainage, that's a big deal. We've got some outlets we need to keep flowing through there and it's like they're oblivious to it."
The next step in the process is an evidentiary hearing scheduled for Sept. 15, 2025, in Columbus. There, experts from CG Fulton County, OPSB staff and other intervening parties will present technical testimony and data on the environmental and economic impacts of the project.
More information on the proposed facility can be found on the OPSB website by clicking here.