The Fayetteville Public Works Commission has not given up on its plan to build a $9.5 million solar farm off Ramsey Street just north of Fayetteville after the Cumberland County Commissioners on May 19 threw a roadblock in the project’s path.
The electric utility’s board held a closed-door meeting on Wednesday morning to discuss its options to proceed. No public action on the project was taken after the PWC’s commissioners ended the closed session, PWC spokesperson Gavin MacRoberts told CityView.
The PWC, the city-owned utility that provides electricity to much of the Fayetteville area, wants to build the 5-megawatt solar farm on 45 acres on Carver’s Falls Road, near the Zipquest Waterfall & Treetop Adventure Park. But the land is not zoned for a solar farm, and the county commissioners on May 19 in a 5-2 vote rejected the PWC’s request to rezone the property so the solar plant can legally be built there.
Zipquest owner Russ Bryan opposes the PWC’s plans and spoke against the project during the county’s May 19 meeting.
‘Should have been a true slam dunk’
During the public portion of the PWC’s meeting on Wednesday morning, PWC CEO Tim Bryant spoke sharply about the county commissioners’ decision to reject the PWC’s request. Commissioners Chair Kirk deViere attended the PWC’s meeting via a remote connection and appeared to take notes as Bryant and the PWC board discussed the solar plant.
The solar farm would have lowered electricity prices for the PWC’s customers, Bryant said.
“This PWC team, along with the county planning and inspection professionals, they did everything right,” Bryant said. “This rezoning of this parcel should have been a true slam dunk, win-win project for this community and PWC customers as a whole,” he said.
PWC board member Ronna Rowe Garrett said she was disappointed by the county commissioners’ rejection of the solar farm. She said she wants to know what options the PWC has to move forward. Bryant told her the next steps would be discussed in the closed-door portion of Wednesday’s meeting.
“I am concerned about the solar farm, of course,” PWC board member Richard King said. “Just because of our customers, how it’ll affect them in the future. And that’s what our board is here for, is to make sure the rates stay down for all customers. So hopefully we can work that out.”
County chair: Respectful conversation needed
Commissioners Chair deViere, who regularly attends and speaks at PWC board meetings, took a few minutes to respond to the criticism. He said he talked with Bryant and PWC Chair Chris Davis the day after the county board rejected the solar farm.
“I know our staffs are continuing to talk, but I think it’s important that when we have items like this, that boards talk, and that leaders talk. That is important. And we do it in a respectful way, in a way that we can continue to work together that doesn’t damage a relationship,” deViere said.
Both the county commissioners and the PWC board want what is in the best interest for the community, deViere said.
“And we stand ready to continue to have those conversations,” he said. “We need a community that thrives. We need a PWC that can provide the services that they do across this county, and that can be an assistance and a partner in economic development in our community.”
Senior reporter Paul Woolverton can be reached at pwoolverton@cityviewnc.com.
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