Miller Township residents Jim and Connie Boeshart have expressed their opposition to the Frasier Solar project, which is adjacent to their property.
The Boesharts, who have lived in Knox County for over 65 years, stated they only learned about the development after receiving a letter from the Austin, Texas-based Open Roads Renewable Company.
“This letter is in opposition to the solar projects in Miller Township. We live on Possum Street, where a solar project is in the planning stages of being installed on the property next to ours,” the Boesharts said in a letter.
“My husband and I have been citizens of Knox County for over 65 years and are devastated to hear this solar project is happening without any notification from our commissioners. We were told that the commissioners knew about these solar projects being planned two years ago.”
“We learned about the solar projects in a letter we received on March 27, 2023, from the Open Roads Renewable Company, located in Austin, Texas. They are supposed to be representing Knox County residents and keeping us informed of any changes or dealings going on in the Knox County area.”
“After many years of being employed—Jim for 43 years with the local phone company and myself for 23 years with the East Knox School District—we saved enough money to build our retirement home. We chose the location because of the beautiful surroundings and great neighbors. We enjoy seeing the land around us being farmed, the wildlife, the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and especially the Bald Eagles that visit us frequently. I think you get the picture. It’s the next best thing to Heaven, except for the planned solar project.”
“Our three grandsons love coming to grandpa and grandma’s house to play in the large yard, watch the airplanes flying into the airport, and sitting around the fire pit while making great family memories. We also have family cookouts and host Jim’s company retiree’s picnics.”
“We have done research on other solar projects already up and running. We are hearing so many negative effects living next to a solar project. Such as: high winds are likely to cause damage to the solar panels, creating bad emissions in the air and create toxic runoff onto adjacent property, noise from the equipment, interference with our electronic devices, and loss of wildlife. And last but not least, our property value will decrease.”
“In closing, we feel the Knox County Commissioners should have notified us about the solar projects being planned in our Township before we received the letter from the solar company.”
The Boesharts have been joined by others in their criticism of the project, particularly those belonging to the citizens' group Preserve Knox County, Ohio.
Other residents have also voiced concerns over the industrial solar company's plan to lease the land surrounding their property for a period of 40 years.
"I am totally for advancement and change, but I really don’t see how this will profit anyone other than the solar bigwigs and the land owners," Norma Parker said in a letter to Knox County officials.
Their sentiments reflect a broader debate in Knox County over solar energy projects, specifically the Frasier Solar project, as residents and commissioners grapple with issues of timing, location and community involvement in sustainable energy initiatives.
The movement towards solar in Knox County comes as the Mount Vernon City Council also passed a resolution, known as "Sustainable 2050," committing to work towards the replacement of fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal, with energy produced by federally-funded solar panels and wind turbines.
The resolution, which passed with five votes in favor and two against, aligns the city with the objectives and initiatives outlined by the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, including measures like banning natural gas stoves in homes and transitioning to electric cars.
Knox County Commissioners accepted Open Road Renewables’ Payment In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT) proposal for the Frasier Solar project in early August.
Under the PILOT agreement, Open Road Renewables will not pay personal property or real estate taxes but will contribute $9,000 per megawatt (MW) annually to the county and local taxing districts where the solar farm is located.
In addition to the payment per megawatt, the Frasier Solar project includes several requirements, such as a Road Use and Maintenance Agreement to repair road damage caused by project activity.
Developers must also provide equipment and training to local first responders and use Ohio-based workers for at least 80% of construction jobs.
The solar developer is expected to collaborate with a local university or vocational school on programming related to careers in renewable energy.
Open Road Renewables also agreed to pay back taxes for up to three years when land comes out of the Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) program, a tax reduction program for agricultural land.
Over 2,000 acres of land in Knox County have been earmarked for development for large-scale solar projects.
In May, Knox County residents met to discuss the Frasier Solar project, with many showing their disfavor for it.
The two-hour hearing featured 41 speakers, including local residents and solar company representatives, sharing arguments both for and against solar energy projects.
During the meeting, opponents raised concerns about issues such as leaking solar panels, government control, declining property values, loss of farmland and insufficient sunlight, among other factors.
Other Miller Township residents also expressed concerns about the proposed 1,533-acre Frasier Solar project during a June Knox County Commissioners meeting.
The concerns include potential water contamination, health effects from solar panels, and decreased property values.
Open Road Renewables noted it aims to address some of these concerns through a Good Neighbor Agreement and financial incentives for residents, but the community remained divided on the solar project, emphasizing the need for decisions made by the county commissioner and township representatives.
In August, members of the group Preserve Knox County Ohio voiced their concerns regarding the Frasier Solar project proposed by Knox County Commissioners.
“We believe that if our county really does want to pursue utility-scale solar development, we can achieve a better outcome for everyone by waiting for a more opportune time, identifying a better location, and selecting a different developer with which to partner,” Ben Dean said at the time, according to Knox Pages.
The group also emphasized the need for a comprehensive plan and local control in evaluating utility-scale solar projects and expressed concerns about the impact on local development and farmland.
In August 2022, the Knox County board passed a resolution that prohibits the construction of large wind farms while allowing large-scale solar facilities in the unincorporated parts of the county.
The resolution defines large-scale wind as projects greater than 1 megawatt (MW) and large-scale solar as 50 MW and larger, and it allows solar projects to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
The current solar project efforts stem from a 2020 push by Knox County Commissioners toward solar power.
In the 2020 election, Commissioner Thom Collier cited the county’s new solar energy initiative as an example of the work he and others on the commission had engaged in that made them worthy of re-election.
“I’m very proud of the fact that we have made a number of great improvements in efficiencies just in the last few years, including job sharing, technology and energy efficiencies,” Collier said at the time, according to Knox Pages.
