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by Francesca Onofrio,WSBT22Reporter
The Dumont Solar farm near Lakeville is looking to add more property to its project, which has yet to break ground. (WSBT photo)
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. (WSBT) — Solar farms are no stranger to controversy in St. Joseph County.
Especially when a solar farm could be getting ready to expand.
The Dumont Solar farm near Lakeville is looking to add more property to its project, which has yet to break ground.
WSBT 22 took a deep dive into documents filed at the County Recorder's Office to learn more about this project.
The Dumont Solar farm near Lakeville is looking to add more property to its project, which has yet to break ground. (WSBT photo)
The Dumont Solar farm near Lakeville is looking to add more property to its project, which has yet to break ground. (WSBT photo)
WSBT 22 has confirmed that multiple memoranda of understanding have been filed between property owners and Dumont Solar LLC. This is after the original proposal was submitted in July of 2024.
What could this mean for the project?
The original proposal was submitted in 2024 which needed to include easements or property information.
But one engineer who reviewed the project documents said that in his opinion, that information was not properly included.
The Dumont Solar farm near Lakeville is looking to add more property to its project, which has yet to break ground. (WSBT photo)
The Dumont Solar farm near Lakeville is looking to add more property to its project, which has yet to break ground. (WSBT photo)
“In the project proposal and in the um site plan, there were no easements or right of ways indicated to connect the at least 38 different solar panel systems via the underground cable systems of connection systems that would be necessary," said Kenny McCleary, Chemical Engineer.
In other words, the solar panels need to be connected to a substation to actually generate energy.
But in the 2024 plan, multiple parcels of land weren’t connected.
RELATED: Lakeville residents concerned over St. Joseph County’s solar decommissioning funds
Community members are concerned that the original proposal may be changed and expanded.
And there are questions as to whether the company will have to abide by the original St. Joseph County solar farm ordinance or an amended ordinance passed last year.
The Dumont Solar farm near Lakeville is looking to add more property to its project, which has yet to break ground. (WSBT photo)
The Dumont Solar farm near Lakeville is looking to add more property to its project, which has yet to break ground. (WSBT photo)
"There are other things that they still have to comply with, but the new ordinance that was passed has a 500-foot setback, stronger decommissioning agreements, and a property value guarantee, so there's a lot that they would have to buy in order to protect the citizens in the community in the area," said Jason Gean, community member.
Although we have discovered that memorandums have been filed, this doesn't yet mean an expansion is happening.
The St. Joseph County Area Plan Director said, "The County has not received any applications for an expansion of the Dumont Solar Project. Unlike the initial submittal, any proposed expansion would immediately be subject to the current Zoning Ordinance regulations regarding large-scale solar development in the A: Agricultural District. This would include the requirement for special use approval by the County Council, which would in turn require two public hearings.
If the county receives any applications for expansion, it will require a special use by the County Council and require two public hearings.
"Because if if they're able to build it the way that it's currently presented and then it's going to drastically affect property values. In fact, we already know it's affecting property values. So, even though even though a shovel has not been put in the ground yet," said Gean.
The Dumont Solar Project has not yet broken ground.
Again, no applications for expansion have been submitted to the county.
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