GIRARD — Crawford County commissioners rejected Tuesday an annexation request that would have paved the way for a new solar farm near Mulberry.
The Pittsburg Morning Sun said commissioners were unanimous in rejecting the request for Mulberry’s planned annexation of more than 1,600 acres about six miles outside its city limits.
Shasta Power had been working with the city for the annexation request for what it said would be a $500 million investment in building the solar farm.
“I can’t see the justification,” Commissioner Bruce Blair said, according to the Pittsburg Morning Sun. “Looking at the big picture, I don’t think it’s a good match.”
Fellow Commissioner Tom Moody expressed concerns about Mulberry’s ability to provide fire and police protection, while the third commissioner, Carl Wood said, “I don’t think now is the right time,” the newspaper reported.
The annexation request had prompted several letters and emails both in support and in opposition, the Morning Sun reported, including one from the City of Frontenac “firmly against the proposal,” the Morning Sun said.
Mulberry lies about eight miles north and four miles east of Frontenac.
In an email after the vote, Shasta Power owner and manager John Copyak sent an email expressing his disappointment in the decision.
“Our company will take some time to decide what the next steps for the project might be,” the email said. “We still believe the project represents enormous benefits to Crawford County.”
Shasta said the project would have been worth a combined $170.3 million to the county over the next 30 years, although the newspaper noted the company could not guarantee those figures.
The company also vowed to buy a new fire truck for the City of Mulberry.
The county is in the midst of drafting a comprehensive plan to address potential wind and solar energy projects in the future, the newspaper reported.
