The proposed solar project in Oakland would be 35 acres on Kornstedt Farms west of Hope Lake Road.
The proposed solar project in Oakland would be 35 acres on Kornstedt Farms west of Hope Lake Road.
JEFFERSON — A 6-megawatt solar farm could be coming to the Town of Oakland but it first has to meet an important deadline.
The farm, developed by OneEnergy Renewables and occupying property owned by Kornstedt Farms, was approved by the Town of Oakland 3-1 during an Aug. 18 Town Board Meeting. It was later approved at the county level during an Aug. 20 Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Committee Public Hearing.
During the hearing, OneEnergy Renewables representative Peter Murphy explained that the project would be “screened with flowers,” which would be used as “cut flowers.”
Solar farms often utilize landscaping — like berms, shrubs, and flowers — as a “screen” to preserve the natural aesthetic of the surrounding area. It is also a common practice to plant “cut flowers” underneath raised solar panels, as they still receive enough sunlight to bloom.
Sometimes, these flowers are harvested and sold as another source of revenue. It is unclear if that is the intention with this specific solar farm.
Murphy said the remainder of the project will use native pollinator seed blends.
The development must be completed before March 2028 due to a township road project.
Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Committee members confirmed the project had been approved during an Aug. 31 meeting. However, they reiterated the importance of the March 2028 deadline.
“We’ve seen quite a few of these recently,” said Jefferson County Planning and Development Director Matt Zangl. “The biggest comment I heard back from the town is the road use agreement, and making sure this construction is completed next year to allow for the reconstruction.”
“I talked to (Oakland Town Board Chair) Laura Payne about this on Wednesday, and she was adamant about that — that this was done by March 1,” added Planning and Zoning Committee member Steve Nass. “That’s when their contract starts with Lake Mills, the Town of Oakland and the Town of Aztalan to redo Hope Lake Road.
“She said, ‘We’re all for this. There are good ideas for screening, but it has to be done.’ It took them forever to negotiate this road between the three townships. They said, ‘We’ve got to get this done.’”
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