MILLER TOWNSHIP — Residents across Ohio are concerned about solar projects proposed for their neighborhoods, citing fears about water contamination, health effects from solar panels, and decreased property values.
Miller Township residents are no exception.
The 1,533-acre proposed Frasier Solar project in Miller and Clinton townships has been a recurring topic at trustee meetings, and the 20 or so residents present at the June 19 meeting continued the discussion.
Two related subjects involve road costs and the amount the township receives under a Payment in Lieu of Taxes plan proposed by Open Road Renewables, Frasier Solar’s parent company.
Under a PILOT, Open Road pays no real estate or personal property taxes for the 40-year life of the project. Instead, the company will pay up to $9,000 per megawatt annually to the county’s various taxing jurisdictions.
Ohio law requires a solar energy developer to pay $7,000 per MW to the taxing jurisdictions. The money is distributed based on millage.
The county commissioners can require the developer to pay another $2,000 per MW. That money goes to the county general fund.
Craig Adair, vice president of development for Open Road, said, “We don’t have control over the $7,000 per MW. That is set by law. The county does have discretion over that additional $2,000 per MW each year.”
Frasier Solar is a 120 MW project divided into two phases: 80 MW initially and 40 MW. The projected county revenue over 40 years under a PILOT is $42.84 million ($1.08 million annually).
Nearly half, 45.2%, goes to the Mount Vernon City School District, with another 8% going to the Knox County Career Center. The county general fund gets 26.5%.
When comparing PILOT revenue to regular real estate and property tax revenue, the county’s general fund would increase from $2.09 million to $11.35 million under a PILOT. All of the other line items, including Miller Township, would see a reduction in revenue.
Trustee Jason Row said the township has 16 miles of gravel roads and three miles of chip seal. To lay the tile, 4 inches of gravel needed to handle construction traffic, and chip seal on top would cost about $300,000 a mile for a 20-foot wide road.
“You are looking at the county getting $286,000 every year. I think a lot of that needs to come back to the township,” Row said. “The majority of this [project] is going to be in Miller Township. I am going to push real hard to get some of that money going to the county.
“I don’t have a problem telling [County Engineer] Cameron Keaton that, even for the first 10 years. I would hope he would take some of that money and repave some of the county roads in Miller Township, too.”
Frasier Solar PILOT % breakdown
Regarding the commissioners’ discretion over the money from the $2,000/MW, Trustee Lynn Rowe said, “I don’t want it to go to Fredericktown.”
Adair said Open Road has committed to paying an additional $500,000 to Miller Township, $300,000 to Clinton Township, and $300,000 to Homer Fire Department to help with road costs and personnel.
Additionally, Open Road must sign a road maintenance use agreement (RUMA) with the townships stating it will be responsible for repairing any road damage caused by the solar project.
Reading from prepared notes, township resident Ben Dean referenced studies reporting declining property values stemming from solar and said Open Road’s screening between the solar panels and homes is inadequate.
Adair cited studies that showed little to no adverse impact from solar farms in rural areas. He pointed out that a study Dean referenced did not look at setbacks, only applied to projects up to 18 MW, and showed three of the states reviewed had no drop in property values at all.
He acknowledged that some of the trees/shrubbery used in screening would take five to seven years to mature.
“Whether it’s 20 [percent drop in property values], whether it’s 5, it’s not nothing,” replied Dean. “Five to seven years is a long time for us to deal with degradation of property values.”
Open Road Renewables is meeting with residents to answer questions and offer a Good Neighbor Agreement. The GNA states that “the company wants to be a good neighbor and seeks to minimize any impacts to the neighbor. In particular, the company realizes that the construction of the project, which could take 12-18 months, may be inconvenient to the neighbor.”
The GNA includes the following commitments from Open Road:
•Fencing will be wire (not chain link) and will not have barbed wire, be higher than 7 feet, or have advertising
•Minimum setbacks for solar panels of 300 feet from the center of the home
•Maximum height of 15 feet for solar panels
•Landscaping
•Downward-facing lights
•Community meeting to review the project, provide information, and answer questions
Neighbors signing the agreement will receive $500 within 60 days after signing. They also will choose one of two options: receiving a $10,000 payment within 60 days after construction starts or receiving annual payments every year the project is in operation (up to 40 years).
The initial annual payment is $600 and payable within 60 days after construction starts. Payments will increase by 2% each year, starting with the second annual payment.
In signing the GNA, the neighbor agrees to either support or express no opinion on the project, provide maps and information about drain tile, and give Open Road Renewables the opportunity to resolve concerns or complaints.
“… So, if we want their money and we want them to do anything extra for us, it sure seems like we must give up opposing this project publicly,” Dean said. “And from where I stand, that feels like they are trying to buy my silence.
“That doesn’t sound like a good neighbor to me.”
In addition to property values, health effects, and landscaping, Adair answered questions about perimeter tiles and curtain drains to handle runoff.
A public hearing held in May 2022 showed residents are divided about solar projects in the county. Those who support solar cited landowners’ rights, sustainability for family farms, and increased revenue to the county, townships, and schools.
Those who oppose solar cited potential leaking of the panels, increased government control, declining property values, loss of farmland, and lack of sufficient sunlight. Other concerns included heat, noise, and stormwater runoff.
Trustee Roger McConnell summed up this division Monday night when he said, “I think the majority of the people in the township don’t want solar. But the majority of the people I talk to don’t want to tell someone what to do.”
Township residents told the trustees it is their job to make decisions on behalf of the township.
The Ohio Power Siting Board regulates wind and solar projects in Ohio. The passage of Senate Bill 52 in July 2021 changed OPSB’s process. It also requires a county commissioner and township trustee, or their designees, to serve as ad-hoc members of the OPSB. As such, the commissioner and Miller Township representatives can vote to support or deny the Frasier Solar project.
