By Erin Smith
A meeting is planned for Wednesday, April 11, at 6 p.m. at the Cape Fear Farmers Market in Elizabethtown to discuss a proposed solar farm for the East Hills subdivision. The project is being developed by Cypress Creek Renewables of Durham.
Steve Evans, Zoning and Outreach Manager with Cypress Creek Renewables, said on Wednesday the company is considering the possibility of changing the proposed location for the meeting after speaking with Elizabethtown officials. The meeting was initially announced to take place at the Bladen County Public Library but it was decided more room would be needed.
Evans said the purpose of the public meeting is to give residents an overview of the proposed project, to educate the public regarding the use of solar energy, to discuss health and safety issues regarding solar farms and to hear from residents regarding the proposed project.
The letter mailed to residents on March 27, 2018, indicates the town of Elizabethtown and Cypress Creek Renewables are working together on the project. Town Manager Eddie Madden said this is not the case. He stated town staff have not been contacted by the company and learned about the proposed solar farm and the scheduled meeting after being presented a copy of the letter by a concerned citizen.
The proposed project would be located on 36 acres of land owned by Dean Brady located at 204 Eastway Avenue in Elizabethtown. According to a letter sent to Elizabethtown residents by Cypress Creek Renewables, the project would generate 5 megawatts of electricity.
Madden said, “They (Cypress Creek Renewables) have not filed any applications with the town at all.”
He added the property in question is not zoned for a solar farm. The property is currently zoned for residential. Madden said in order for a solar farm to be constructed on the property, it would require the Town to rezone the land to industrial use.
Madden said the planning board, when considering rezoning the property, must consider not just the use being presented to the board but also all of the potential uses covered by the industrial use designation.
“This is inconsistent with our (the town’s) land use plan,” said Madden.
Evans said Wednesday afternoon that nothing has been approved and no rezoning request has been submitted to the town.
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