County Denies Appeal to Solar Farm

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Wednesday denied a Borrego Springs-area resident’s appeal of the approval of a major use permit for a solar farm following a staff review of the project’s impacts.

Tom Beltran requested that the board reverse a Planning Commission decision to grant the permit to NRG Solar Borrego One for a 308-acre solar farm to be constructed at Henderson Canyon and Borrego Valley roads, an area last farmed in the 1950s, according to county staff.

The board denied the appeal and voted 4-0 to grant the permit, with Supervisor Dianne Jacob abstaining, stating she owns stock in the business’ parent company.

“I don’t think the arguments against this are significant,” said board Chairman Bill Horn.

The solar energy system and a one-mile underground transmission line would provide energy to local residents and businesses. The facility would have the capacity to supply the power needs of about 20,800 homes annually, and the construction project would create about 250 temporary and five permanent jobs, according to county staff.

The complaint stated the impact from the solar glare and glint, or the direct reflection of light, could affect the view from the Montezuma Grade Crawford Overlook, but county staff said panels would be treated with an anti-reflective coating and would not affect residents.

“Any glare from the panels would be minimal and would look like the glare from a lake on a cloudy day,” said Jeff Murphy of the county’s Department of Planning and Land Use.

The complaint also stated that the transmission capacity to serve the project, as well as other proposed projects in the area, would require improvements to the existing system. But staff determined the project would not require upgrades, including through the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

“There are no direct impacts beyond the substation, nor are there any plans to upgrade the transmission system leaving Borrego Valley,” Murphy said.

Beltran also wanted the county to require an Environmental Impact Report, but staffers responded that the project would not affect wildlife in the area. The farm would not be located within 4,000 feet of active Golden Eagle nests and the project would preserve raptor habitats, they said.

—City News Service