‘I’d rather have a junkyard’: Citizens say solar project will affect property values, health issues, visual appeal

QUNCY — Community members gathered Tuesday night at Cedar Crest Country Club to learn about a proposed project that would put 29.8 acres of solar panels on a lot on Ellington Road.

Many at the meeting did not want to be quoted by members of the news media. They raised concerns about decreased property values, potential negative health issues and the lack of visual appeal that could come with solar panels. Many at the meeting said they moved to this location to get away from the city and do not want large panels of metal nearby.

“I’d rather have a junkyard,” Jack Sill said. “They’re cluttering up the neighborhood, taking farm ground away.”

“I’m an ex-farmer, and I hate to see farming ground get wasted,” Floyd Heubner said. “The solar panel, it ain’t going to feed you.”

However, the company looking to install the panels argues that many of the concerns of those in attendance will not materialize.

“We’ve had third-party reports that talked to more than 70 assessors in Illinois that showed there’s no measurable impact for (property values) close to community solar,” said Moira Cronin, a director of development with Summit Ridge Energy.

She also described the plan to plant a “pollinator-friendly seed mix” on the land under the panels, reducing runoff, giving a break from tillage and maintaining nutrients in the soil.

“When we’re done with it, the soil will be in amazing shape, so you’ll have much higher yields. There is a lot of research around that,” Cronin said.

Illinois aims to have 100 percent renewable energy by 2050 as part of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act that passed in 2021. To reach this milestone, solar will be an important piece of the puzzle.

Cronin also mentioned that the power will serve Adams County, the company will pay taxes that go to the county, and homeowners will receive a 10 percent reduction on their electricity bill.

Not everyone feels the need for a new source of energy.

“The energy we’ve got is good enough,” Sill said.

Information from the session will be sent to the Plan Commission, which will make a recommendation to the City Council.

Annie C. Reller is a Seattle native and a recent Stanford graduate working as an intern for Muddy River News this spring.