Solar energy panels. (Supplied by PublicDomainPictures.net)

By David Opinko

Solar projects approved near Coaldale and Nobleford

Sep 23, 2019 | 11:16 AM

LETHBRIDGE COUNTY, AB – Lethbridge County council is pushing ahead with proposals for two solar energy projects in the region.

Acestes Ventures Ltd, based out of Calgary, is looking to purchase 137 acres of land in an area between Nobleford and Coalhurst on Range Road 230 and Township Road 103.

A second facility would combine two adjacent pieces of land north of Coaldale on Township Road 102 and Range Road 200 that total approximately 150 acres.

The items are making their way through Lethbridge County because, in order to accommodate for solar energy facilities, the properties need to be rezoned from Rural Agriculture to Direct Control.

At the same council meeting on September 19th, a survey commissioned by the County came back, asking residents about their opinions on agricultural land being used for solar energy collection sites.

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49 residents responded to the survey between July 30th and August 26th.

71% “strongly disagreed” with solar farms being located on high-quality agricultural lands, while another 10% “disagreed” with the idea. Just over 10% either agreed or strongly agreed.

When it comes to poor-quality agricultural lands, nearly 81% were in favour of using them for solar farms, while just 20% were opposed.

As well, 62.5% thought solar collection facilities should only be located on lands that are less than 80 acres.

“I think, as you’re aware, it harder and harder to get good quality agricultural land, because, a lot of times, it’s put into other things, like for instance, a lot of land gets taken up by annexation from a town or city and it becomes a housing development or so and so, so that’s the big thing there,” says Lethbridge County Reeve Lorne Hickey.

Lethbridge News Now asked Hickey about the quality of the lands these two sites are proposed to be located on.

He responded by saying that both are high-quality fields but was of the mindset that the site north of Coaldale consisted of one parcel of land while the one southeast of Nobleford was made up of two pieces of land. Documents from the County’s council agenda confirm the opposite to be true.

While the survey was not specifically directed towards the proposals by Acestes Ventures and instead gathered general public opinions, we then asked Hickey about them being situated on high-quality farmland despite opposition to it.

“Well, that’s an interesting question.”

At this point, he says they have not received any negative feedback on the projects and was unsure if they were likely to get any now that the poll has been completed.

The solar facilities had already been greenlit by the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC).

The Municipal Government Act (MGA) requires that, once the AUC has approved a development, “that the Municipality must approve a bylaw supporting the development within 90 days once the application has been received. In addition, the MGA states that the Bylaw is not required to go through a public hearing process.”

The company is now able to apply for development permits.

“It’s kind of a shame on one hand to lose prime agricultural land, but I guess you gotta look at it from a different light sometimes, and maybe it’s for the betterment of the environment,” says Hickey.

LNN has reached out to Acestes Ventures for comments, but the company said they are not willing to do an interview just yet.