Copper Box Solar seeks rezoning for proposed energy project

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Hayley Jarman | hjarman@jrpress.com

The Montgomery County Advisory Plan Commission will hold a public hearing at 4 p.m. Tuesday on a rezoning petition tied to a proposed solar energy project in Madison and Union townships.

The hearing will take place in the community room of the Montgomery County Government Center, 1580 Constitution Row, Crawfordsville.

The petition, filed Jan. 13, is for the proposed Copper Box Solar Project, a development under ENGIE North America. The request asks that about 1,800 acres be rezoned to an agricultural overlay district to allow construction of a solar energy facility. The application includes 19 parcels of land across the two townships.

According to the petition, most of the parcels involved in the project are owned by local landowners who have agreed to lease their land for the solar development.

The project application states about 890 acres would be located within fenced solar array areas where solar panels and electrical equipment would be installed. The remaining land within the project area would include setbacks, buffers and access roads.

The petitioner also states that much of the space between and around the solar arrays would remain open and be planted with vegetation to support ground cover and wildlife habitat.

During Tuesday’s meeting, the plan commission will hear the request and accept public comments before making a recommendation to the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. The commission will then send the petition forward with a favorable recommendation, unfavorable recommendation or no recommendation.

The county commissioners will then schedule their own public hearing, typically within about a month. A final decision on the rezoning request would be made by the commissioners following that hearing.

Marc Bonwell, the county’s building and zoning administrator, said the county has already received at least 20 separate public comments from residents regarding the proposal.

Residents may submit written comments or concerns before the hearing by emailing Bonwell at Marc.Bonwell@montgomerycounty.in.gov. Public comments also will be accepted during the hearing.