By Bert Lehman
NEW LONDON – Several residents of the town of Maple Creek voiced their opposition to a proposed solar array in their town and asked the New London Economic Development Committee to deny the sale of city land in the New London Business Center to the developer for the construction of a substation for the solar array.
The committee heard the opposition during a public hearing regarding selling land in the North East New London Business Center to Avangrid, an energy production company.
Prior to the start of the public hearing, Committee Chairperson BaLynda Croy, told those in attendance that the public hearing was intended for the city to gain feedback regarding “a proposal to purchase land from the city for a substation and maintenance facility in the city’s North East New London Business Center.”
She continued, “We understand that this proposal is tied to a solar array project located about two miles north of the city in the town of Maple Creek. We also understand based on some input heard at the open house that the developer held last week, that there are some neighbors next to the solar array that are not in support of the project.”
Croy said where the proposed solar array is scheduled to be located is “well beyond the city limits and outside the city’s judicially authority.”
“The only part of the project that the city of New London has any control over is whether or not they sell city property to the developer for a maintenance facility and a substation,” Croy said.
Public hearing
One Maple Creek resident told the committee that the “vast majority” of the residents of Maple Creek are against the proposed solar array project.
“We’ve got a pretty scenic township, and these things don’t look nice,” the resident said.
The resident claimed the project is being spearheaded by a landowner who has never lived in the township. He also claimed that the town board is unanimously against the proposed project.
“It’s prime farmland – Class 1,” the resident said. “I can’t think of a worse use of natural resources to cover up prime, tiled, Class 1 farmland with 1,200 acres of panels. That’s just a bad use of resources.”
The resident also claimed that the property values of properties near the proposed solar array would decrease if the solar array is constructed.
“My request would be that you look beyond the money that you’re going to receive and think about the damage done to the people who actually live there,” the resident said. “We don’t live in New London proper, but we are part of the community.”
Another resident of Maple Creek asked the committee how large the proposed substation would be in the New London Business Center. He also questioned if there would be increased dangers in the business center by adding another substation to the area. The business center already includes substations for American Transmission Company (ATC), New London Utilities, and WE Energies.
“That industrial park should be, I think, used for other things besides basically a huge battery,” the resident said.
A 27-year resident of Maple Creek told the committee that his property would be surrounded on all four side by the proposed solar array.
“We people of Maple Creek aren’t going to gain anything by this, we’re just going to lose,” the resident said.
Another resident of Maple Creek said he was speaking in support of his neighbors.
“The majority of Maple Creek is totally against this,” the resident said.
New London Mayor Mark Herter also spoke at the public hearing. Herter said he attended the open house held by the developer of the proposed solar array and spoke with seven individuals who attended the open house. He added that one of those in attendance was from the city of New London, with the rest from Maple Creek.
Herter said the New London resident “didn’t see a problem with the proposed project.” Of the residents from Maple Creek, Herter said one was in favor of the proposed project. One resident was opposed to the proposed project and hoped New London would stop the project. The other residents did not have or give a personal opinion.
“I have not been approached by anyone from the city of New London other than that one person, that was for it or against it,” Herter said. “And as we see tonight, the city of New London did not show up to represent their opinion as an audience member. We did, however, have six Maple Creek individuals show up that all opposed it.”
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