Be Informed, Be Present, Be Heard
Opposed, Concerned or Simply Curious About Utility-Scale Solar Facilities in Your County?
Don’t Be Shy, NOW is the Time to Be Present at County Commission and Planning Commission Meetings…Speak Up BEFORE Decisions Are Made!
Below you will find links to both Douglas and Johnson County, KS Commissioner and Planning Commission information.
BOOKMARK these pages in your browsers and stay up to date on what’s happening with massive utility-scale solar (and now wind) projects in both counties.
BE AWARE and BE INFORMED, these projects are expanding and moving into new areas of our counties all of the time.
Email your County Commissioners directly (copy yourself so you have documentation), ask your Commissioners questions, request information, and make public comment at upcoming Comission and Planning Commission meetings.
Utility-Scale Solar Regulations have been approved by the Board of County Commissioners
CLICK HERE to View Regulations
Now Citizens wait for Energy Companies to submit Project Proposals.
We MUST be present and ever vigilent during upcoming Project Hearings to ENSURE
UTILITY-SCALE SOLAR PROJECTS ARE SITED RESPONSIBLY
and that the Energy Companies requesting project approvals are ethical and RESPONSIBLE, keeping the County and it’s Citizens best interests at heart.
This is a tall order…one that MUST BE A PRIORITY!
WEAR YOUR SHIRTS!
DATE: Project Porposal Hearing Dates TBD
TIME: TBD
LOCATION: Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts Street, Lawrence, KS 66044
June 6th at 111 S. Cherry St. Olathe, KS
3rd Floor Commission Hearing Room
Arrive by 1pm to sign-up to make Public Comment!
DATE: Monday, June 6th
TIME: Arrive by 1PM to sign-up to make Public Comment, Meeting starts at 2PM
LOCATION: Administrative Building, 3rd Floor, 111 Cherry Street, Olathe, KS 66061
WEAR YOUR SHIRTS!
How Would This Impact You?
Below is an Interactive/Layered Google map of the area effected by NextEra’s proposed development site for a 3,200 to potentially 6,000 Acre Industrial Utility-Scale Solar Facility as of 10/6/2021 (map may continue to grow or change based on NextEra’s proposal so check back).
This proposed development area is in the backyards of hundreds of people in West Gardner on both the Douglas County ,KS and Johnson County, KS sides of County Line Road.
Due to the shear massive size of this proposed development it will most likely negatively impact residents, businesses and small farmers. A short list of concerns are as follows: destroying the beautiful views, environmental and wildlife concerns, stunting economic growth in both counties, fire risks, decreased property values, potential health risks of being surrounded by radiation from electromagnetic fields (EMF), inverter noise, glare, erosion of rich soils, and flooding from storm water shed, ground water contamination from herbicides, herbicide drift, deforestation, historical preservation concerns (i.e., Oregon and Santa Fe Trails), risk to burgeoning Agri-Tourism…the list is long.
This map displays markers of the 200 family homes that are located within 0 – <1 mile of NextEra’s proposed Industrial Utility-Scale Solar Power Facility development area.
The total value of all homes (based on Zillow Zestimates as of 10/6/2021) on the Douglas County, KS side is $50,298,500 (122 homes) on the Johnson County, KS side it is
$29,807,710 (78 homes). Combined county property values TOTAL approximatley $80,106,210.
The median home value in this area on the Douglas County, KS side is $382,000, on the Johnson County, KS side it is $301,000
The lowest home value in this area is $44,000 and highest $1,790,000.
Homes with “Unknown” Zillow Zestimates were valued at the conservative “median” in this area, for each county. So for Douglas County, KS the median used was $382,000 for Johnson County, KS the median used was $301,000.
There are also hundreds and hundreds of more homes within the slightly extended 1- 1.5 mile radius of this proposed development. The area is burgeoning with new home construction, home sales, new business and agriculture ventures.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This map also displays the outline of the 9,000 Acre Sunflower Ammunitions Plant Brownfield Site. This site is currently being cleaned up by the US Government/Army and is a perfect location for Utility-Scale Solar Power Facility development.
We are not against green energy and solar if it is developed responsibly. The current proposed location is not responsible it is too close to dense rural population (family homes, businesses and small ag).
The risk of negative impacts is much too high.
Outline of Development Area sourced from:
https://www2.ljworld.com/weblogs/town_talk/2021/aug/24/talk-is-heating-up-on-a-3000-acre-solar-panel-farm-along-the-douglas-johnson-county-line-would-power-40000-homes/