Massive Husky Howl Solar Farm receives ag rezone; permit on hold

ST. ANTHONY, Idaho (KIFI) – A proposed 950-acre solar farm in south Fremont County stirred up serious discussion Monday night at the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.

Developers of the Husky Howl Solar Facility are leasing 2,500 acres from the Rogers family in southern Fremont County – situated south of Ashton, 4.5 miles from the small town of Drummond.

“They lease a whole bunch of property, and then figure out which pieces of that lease are going to work best [for solar],” said Fremont County Planning and Building Administrator Tom Cluff.

The project would generate 95 MegaWatts of electricity, down from an initial application for 150 Megawatts – due to limits in transmission line capacity, Cluff said.

Only about 20 homes are within five miles of the site, but most public comment at a July 20 public hearing was opposed to the project. That meeting lasted until midnight.

The major debate Monday centered around rezoning the land from rural base to agricultural.

Planning and Zoning Commission Member Shellie Blanchard argued the solar farm would qualify as a commercial project not permitted in an ag zone.

“It's being developed. It's going to be sold.  It's a commercial solar facility – the way I read it,” Blanchard said.

Meanwhile other members of the commission noted that the ag zoning code specifically permits solar projects.

“To me, they're just planting solar panels instead of potatoes. You're still just harvesting the sun," said Planning and Zoning Commission Vice-Chairman J.C. Siddoway. “So it specifically says that's allowed in that ag zone.”

The solar farm would bring in $240,000 in tax revenues each year to Fremont County.

Ultimately, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-to-2 to rezone the land to agricultural.

Chairman Jim Jorgensen, Vice Chair J.C. Siddoway, and Members Dennis Forbush, Sonnie Haws, Thayne Goulding and Eric Pauly voted for the rezone. Members Shellie Blanchard and Colby Crapo voted against it.

However, they tabled discussion on issuing a conditional use permit indefinitely so the county can gather additional information about potential decommissioning requirements for the project. 

If the project is approved in the future, it will go to the Fremont County Commissioners next for approval.