Delaware County Council votes against rescinding tax abatement for solar project

After two hours of public hearing and discussions, the Delaware County Council voted against rescinding a tax abatement for a local planned solar energy project.  As IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports, some council members were worried about the county’s reputation.

Since November, council members were mulling whether to take away tax incentives for two local solar projects passed by a previous council in 2021.  Since then, there’s been a vocal local opposition, a years-long moratorium, and a zoning ordinance that would put new restrictions on the projects.

Project spokespeople came forward in a public hearing Tuesday to state their cases.  Both Hawthorne and Meadow Forge say they’ve spent millions of dollars on preparing the projects and have signed agreements with many local landowners.

Ben Friedel is with Hawthorne.

“Abatements often function in scenarios like this to both induce that investment as well as recognize that projects like these – solar projects in particular – do not stress county resources, don’t increase traffic, don’t stress EMS / 911.”

Council members say they’ve heard no opposition to Hawthorne and much to Meadow Forge, a bigger project by acreage and megawatts.  They motioned to rescind only the tax abatement for Meadow Forge.

Council member Eugene Whitehead explained why he’d be voting no.

“I don’t want this county to rescind abatements to companies, and then every other company that wants to come to Delaware County see that we’ve done this and then decide, ‘We’re going to go look somewhere else.’”

Several members agreed and the vote failed 5-2.

Both Hawthorne and Meadow Forge say they’re currently investigating how the December zoning ordinance will change the scope of their planned solar fields.

Stephanie Wiechmann is our Managing Editor and “All Things Considered” Host.  Contact her at slwiechmann@bsu.edu.