City officials are expressing reservations about the use of sheep for vegetational maintenance at a proposed solar development on Galesburg’s far northwest side.
On Feb. 18, the Planning & Zoning Commission will be asked to approve a variance for a livestock setback at 3146 Dover Lane, located behind the former Shopko retail center and near the Castlebury residential subdivision on South Lake Storey Road.
Chase Bradley of Alpha and the Curry Trust Solar Project is proposing a community solar development with an agrivoltaics component. Specifically, 60 sheep would graze in a rotation of 10 paddocks every four days to keep the vegetation below the solar arrays. The applicant is seeking a variance of Section 90.016 Livestock, to remove the requirement that livestock should be not less than 100 feet to an adjoining property line.
Development Review Committee members reviewed the variances during their Feb. 5, meeting and recommend denial of the livestock setback.
Steve Gugliotta, director of Community Development, tells WGIL, “The solar installation is not an issue, but the proposed agrivoltaics use (introduction of sheep for vegetation maintenance) is not consistent with the 2019 Comprehensive Plan which shows the area to be single family.
“Also the variance, if granted, will alter the essential character of the neighborhood.”
Gugliotta noted the project proposes that within 2-3 years having approximately 60 sheep on site that will rotate every 4 days through 10 different paddocks with the intent of grazing for vegetation maintenance. Those 60 sheep would produce approximately 100 lamb.
City ordinance section 90.016 states, “No person shall keep or maintain any horse, mule, pony, donkey, burro, cow, goat, sheep or pig in any residential area within the corporate limits of the city unless the animal is situated on a tract of ground at least two acres in area, and the pen, shed, barn, stable or other structure designed to confine or shelter the animal is so located on the tract that the nearest portion thereof is not less than 100 feet from the line of adjoining property.”
The requested variance is to reduce the 100 foot setback for the sheep down to 0 feet.
The applicant stated that they believe sheep manure will be spread naturally and will breakdown at a much faster rate so there would be less smell.
In their application, Curry Trust Solar Project says, “A well thought out agrivoltaics site can effectively combine solar energy production with agriculture to create a more sustainable, efficient, and resilient land use model. Proper planning in terms of site design, forage selection, infrastructure, and environmental impact will ensure the success of the project, offering benefits to both the energy and agricultural sectors.”
