Neighbors in Downey concerned about solar farm development

DOWNEY, Idaho (KIFI) - Destroy property values and take up farmland. Those are some of the concerns circulating about a potential solar farm in Bannock County. Local News 8 was on hand Monday night when people voiced their concerns to county leaders.

In a passionate auditorium at Marsh Valley High School, dozens of people gave testimony and speeches on a possible new ordinance coming into effect in Bannock County. The Bannock County Commissioners and Planning & Development wanted to hear the community's thoughts on regulating solar farms in Bannock County. 

"This process has come about because we heard that there were solar companies in the valley looking to do some projects, and we realized that we did not have an ordinance governing or protecting the county and these type of developments,” Jeff Hough, Bannock County commissioner said. “So we're trying to hustle to get something in place before we receive any applications," he continued.

Most of the speakers were from the small town of Downey, where the solar farms are proposed. Many were against the three current drafts of the ordinance...including Kirk Jackson, who says it will take the money from small-town people and put it in the hands of big-time corporations. "It would consume a good deal of the area around Downey and destroy property values, destroy wildlife habitat, take up farm ground that we're going to need," Jackson said.

Jackson also believes it would cause a mass exodus of people who have lived in Downey their whole lives. "Once this comes in, I think a lot of people are probably just going to leave, you know, and if we're going to maintain a community that we've had, we need to somehow stop this," Jackson said.

Jackson believes the county shouldn't rush and make a decision he says would cost his community. "What I would recommend since the county is up against a deadline on this and we may not have enough information to produce the ordinance at this point. So we probably just need to put in an ordinance that prevents any development until we can fully research it," Jackson said.

One Downey farmer, Steve Criddle, was on the other side of the issue. As a fourth-generation farmer, he says times have been tough as a dry farmer. "Our farm ground. 12 bushels acre on wheat. Wheat, $5.72. Last year's $11.72. We can't take the hits on that kind of crop," Criddle said.

By putting in solar on his farm, he says the financial impact would be vital going forward for his family. "I could lose my farm in one year if I have a bad year. Most farmers have to sell their farms to retire on. I would like not have to do that. I've always worked on the farm. I would like to be able to retire and have this money, so my grandkids could have this farm too," Criddle said.

Criddle says he understands the concerns of his neighbors but does believe the property values won't diminish that much, and that the money generated from this could help his local school district.  "When you go to school down here, I had my sister's book in the same biology class and she graduated 11 years before I did. It would be nice to see some things going into the school down here," Criddle said.

Criddle says this is not an ideal scenario but wants to be able to own the land he works on. "Everything I've ever done is in the Marsh Valley area. Parents were on the school board. Dad was the Road District Commissioner. We do 4-H clubs. We do everything in the community that we can. And I don't see that from the big corporate farms. That's the reason. Like I say, it's either big farms or 40-acre farms. The guy in the middle, just, we can't make it anymore," Criddle said.