EATON — During a Monday, April 24, regular meeting, several concerned citizens residing in the Lewisburg area addressed the Preble County Commissioners regarding the potential of solar energy fields being leased in agricultural areas.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been here, so I thought maybe I ought to get updated on where you stand with a few things out there, a few of our concerns with solar farms in Harrison Township,” began resident Mark Gebhart.
Gebhart had requested a public meeting be held with the board in late 2022, concerning the proposal of resolution zoning Harrison Township as a “no solar” area. The board had agreed to a meeting to let residents voice their concerns, as long as preapplication for the project had been issued by the solar companies involved.
“I had read up on in January lawsuits that had come about after some of those resolutions had taken place in other counties. It is my understanding the loopholes related to those no solar areas have closed in the end of December. They cleaned up that language,” said Commissioner Rachael Vonderhaar. “So, 90 days from that time period we’re probably in that window that opens up – no one can sue, since they closed the loophole. So, I guess now would be about the time to discuss when the opportunity actually exists for holding a meeting.”
Gebhart noted, community members held a meeting Thursday, April 20, with Three Valley Conservation Trust to discuss pollution to water ways and agricultural soil. Gebhart said the potential of solar was brought up at the meeting and was one of the chief concerns for area contamination.
Vonderhaar inquired of the nature of the April 20 meeting, and what, if any, “ask” was brough to the community from Three Valley Conservation Trust. According to Gebhart, the meeting was strictly to pursue preventing and cleaning water contamination and risks to waterflow.
Lewisburg resident Anne Ruf also voiced her concerns for solar in Harrison.
“I want to put on record my concerns about solar. I have educated myself on all the problems, versus pros and cons,” Ruf said. “I do not want this in my township. I can’t vote for the whole county, but I’ve been in Harrison since 1975 and I am right down the road from the one that just started on Verona Road, they’ve already rolled in there.
“I know my neighbors are all very much upset. They signed petitions, and I’m hoping they’re going to come, too.”
Ken Aikman, another concerned Preble Countian, questioned the board on their knowledge and resources regarding solar and its effects on agriculture. Commissioner David Haber noted they have a “good bit” of the relevant information, with Commissioner Vonderhaar noting the board is always open to new sources on the topic.
“As a business owner here, looking at the Preble County seal, my family has been here since 1808 in the northern part of the county, it is very important that the commissioners consider what’s going on with these solar panels. And the people who are affected and the farms around there. Which aren’t even close to me,” Aikman said.
Aikman expressed his belief multiple areas would be negatively impacted by the introduction of solar and offered to provide “scientific” evidence to that effect.
The board also heard from Martha Mendenhall and her sister Sharon Campbell, who are worried about how solar will impact their property and real estate value.
According to Twin Valley South graduate Campbell, she recently moved back to Preble County after living in Colorado from 2006 to 2021 and has invested her “resources” into her Harrison Township property.
“I thought this would be a great investment purchasing this property and making it a horse property. I hired local people to put up fencing and build stalls, and I invested more money than what I did in the property to make it nice.
“I had no idea. It was not disclosed to me about the solar possibility around my house. I wouldn’t have purchased it if I had known. I can’t imagine anyone else purchasing it from me. So now, my great investment is horrible.”
Commissioner Adam Craft said the board is trying to “measure twice, cut once” with the situation. “A lot of the counties went in guns blazing, and they’ve had to claw it back because they didn’t do it the right way. So, I appreciate all of you coming in.”
Craft added, when a meeting is scheduled, the residents will be notified by email, a notice posted in The Register-Herald, and by word of mouth.
“(The meeting) is still on the agenda, it just hasn’t been scheduled yet. One of the reasons we haven’t done anything yet is because there is no project to propose out there. There’s been some feelers put out, but there’s no project,” remarked Craft.
Gebhart closed the meeting by stating, “I just want to conclude with this — we saw in Richmond with the fire, they saw they had a problem there for years and didn’t want to do nothing but talk about it. They took no action, and we’ve seen what happened with that. So, hope that doesn’t happen to Preble County.”
Reach Nathan Hoskins at 937-683-4057.
