Alderwoman Lori Large-Oldenettel (left) speaks with Community Development Director Brian Nyberg while a resident reads over documents provided by the company Nexamp. All three were there because Nexamp held a public event for people to find out more about the company’s proposed solar farm.
While some Jacksonville community members had their concerns placated by the company that wants to build a solar panel farm near their neighborhood, it will likely be an uphill battle to overcome municipal rules to get the project application approved.
Jack Curry, business development director for Nexamp, said some of the questions they get asked are based off comparisons made to a different, failed project: Summit Ridge.
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In 2024, Summit Ridge Energy proposed a 58.3-acre solar farm that's close to where Nexamp wants to put its farm. The Nexamp project proposal is for a 16-acre field off of Blacks Lane, a stretch of road less than 1 mile long on the east side of town. 
A map handed out by Nexamp during its April 14 event shows the proposed area where it wants its to build a solar field in blue. In red is the site of the proposed Summit Ridge project from 2024, which did not get approved by the city.
The Summit Ridge project's zoning request got denied by the Jacksonville Plan Commission and Zoning Board in 2024 because of community concerns about the size and location — as well as the fact that city regulations say solar farms can't be built within the city's zoning limits.
RELATED: Commission rejects solar farm rezoning petition
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Curry said the Nexamp project is smaller than the Summit Ridge location, and he hopes the project's differences are enough to make the city reconsider its zoning limit requirement.
"Ours is closer to the railroad tracks, closer to other industrial uses. Like, there's a scrapyard, there's storage facilities, auto shops, so it's sort of a transitional use from those uses and the railroad, to maybe more residential uses in Prairie Knolls," Curry said. "It's also the size of the project. I think Summit Ridge was close to 60 acres, and our project is about 15."
Some residents of Prairie Knolls mobile home neighborhood, which is on the west side of Blacks Lane, attended a public meeting on Tuesday held by Nexamp for more information about the project. One woman said she concerned about loud sounds from construction, but she said she was happy to find out construction would only take place during daytime hours, not overnight.
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She was also happy that the project would be behind an old property on Blacks Lane, not right up against the road or nearby Morton Avenue, one of the busiest streets in town.
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Multiple moves for the project are attempts to counteract typical solar concerns from rural residents: For worries about unsightliness, Curry said there will be vegetative screening around the premises. For concerns about the farm's construction damaging the Blacks Lane, Curry said Nexamp is willing to repair any damages made by construction vehicles and pay for the repairs.
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A map handed out by Nexamp during its April 14 event identifies different aspects of its proposed project.
Jacksonville Alderman Lori Large-Oldenettel, who does not sit or vote on the Plan Commission and Zoning Board, attended the Tuesday event because the project would be in her ward. Large-Oldenettel said she likes how Nexamp has been working with the community to seek feedback from residents and officials, but she pointed out one problem that can't be fixed with the project as it is: location.
"I like that they've been really open and transparent; but again, we have ordinances for a reason," Large-Oldenettel said. "The setbacks are the setbacks, and unless the plans commission would change that, I'm not sure how this project would be able to move forward."
She said she isn't comfortable giving exemptions for local rules.
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"Once we open that up, then anyone could really come in and ask for the same variance, and that could get really complicated, and I think there was probably a lot of thought and input that went into putting these ordinances into place," Large-Oldenettel said.
Curry said Nexamp would be filling its application this week. He hopes it will be on the Plan Commission and Zoning Board's agendas in either May or June. If approved, he said construction would begin in spring.
Through the state's community solar project, companies are incentivized to build projects in low-income communities that would make electric bills lower through a credit system with their utility provider. About 50% of Jacksonville residents would be allowed to subscribe to projects like this one before the subscription meets its cap.
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RELATED: Nexamp solar project looking for subscribers ahead of construction
Bridgette Fox is a staff writer with the Jacksonville Journal-Courier.
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