Developers proposing to utilize sheep for vegetational maintenance at a proposed Galesburg solar development have withdrawn their request for a livestock variance, saying they will work with a 100 foot setback as required by code.
A civil engineering firm representing the Curry Trust Solar Project notified the city’s planning department of its change in plans on Friday.
The Curry Trust Solar Project is proposing a community solar development with an agrivoltaics component at 3146 Dover Lane, located behind the former Shopko retail center and near the Castlebury residential subdivision on South Lake Storey Road.
Specifically, 60 sheep would graze in a rotation of 10 paddocks every four days to keep the vegetation below the solar arrays. Chase Bradley of Alpha and the Curry Trust Solar Project were seeking a variance of Section 90.016 Livestock, to remove the requirement that livestock should be not less than 100 feet to an adjoining property line.
Development Review Committee members reviewed the variances during their Feb. 5, meeting and recommend denial of the livestock setback.
The variance was scheduled to be presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission at its Tuesday meeting.
The letter from Bono Consulting Civil Engineers to the city read:
At this time, we would like to withdraw the request for a variance of Section 90.016 to decrease the setback for sheep. We will not attend Tuesday’s Planning & Zoning Commission meeting.
We are continuing to work toward development of this parcel and will work with the 100’ setback as required by code.
Steve Gugliotta, director of community development, tells WGIL as a result of the variance request being pulled by the applicant, the Planning & Zoning Commission’s regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday has been canceled.
Gugliotta said he has heard feedback via phone call or email from 13 different property owners regarding the livestock variance at the proposed solar development.
City ordinance section 90.016 states, “No person shall keep or maintain any horse, mule, pony, donkey, burro, cow, goat, sheep or pig in any residential area within the corporate limits of the city unless the animal is situated on a tract of ground at least two acres in area, and the pen, shed, barn, stable or other structure designed to confine or shelter the animal is so located on the tract that the nearest portion thereof is not less than 100 feet from the line of adjoining property.”
Gugliotta said the solar would be allowed as long as the developer provides a 20 foot setback. The use of agrivoltaics (introduction of sheep) would be possible if they keep them at least 100 feet from property lines.
