TOWN OF MUKWONAGO — A public hearing for a proposed 6-megawatt solar energy project in the Town of Mukwonago has been rescheduled for Monday due to overflow attendance at the originally scheduled hearing.
A Joint Plan Commission and Town Board meeting that includes a public hearing regarding a conditional use permit for the proposed Spring Lake Solar project on its agenda will take place at 6:30 p.m. Monday at St. James Catholic Church, 830 E. Veterans Way.
The meeting had to be rescheduled from its original Oct. 14 date because Mukwonago Town Hall, W320-S8315 Beulah Road, was not a large enough venue to hold all of the area residents who showed up for the public hearing, according to the Town of Mukwonago clerk’s office.
Seattle-based OneEnergy Development LLC wants to install 13,000 solar panels across approximately 28 acres on property northwest of Highway I and Section Road in the Town of Mukwonago. The land would be leased from the Sugden family, with Peter Murphy of OneEnergy serving as the developer’s agent and Stan Sugden as the property owner, according to town documents.
The proposed solar facility could generate enough electricity to power nearly 1,600 Wisconsin homes annually and support more than 30 union jobs during peak construction, according to the developer. The project would connect to existing electric distribution lines along Highway I and serve local We Energies customers.
If approved, construction of the facility would begin in spring 2027 and is expected to take four to six months. The facility is expected to operate for 30 to 50 years; at the end of its useful life, the solar equipment would be removed and the land restored for potential agricultural use, according to the project website.
The project has received mixed feedback from area residents. Resident Loree Mueller, in a letter to the Plan Commission, raised concerns about the project’s impact on the rural community.
“I understand that renewable energy is important and that solar power can have benefits,” Mueller said in the letter. “However, the proposed location and scale of this project are not appropriate for this rural community. A project covering 28 acres would fundamentally change the character and use of this property and could have consequences for surrounding residents for decades.”
On the other hand, resident Jennifer Rath expressed support for the project, citing financial challenges facing farmers.
“Why not since farmers can’t afford fuel or sell their crops?” she said.
The Waukesha County Green Team also showed support for the project in a letter signed by Debra Schneider, president of the Waukesha County Green Team.
“As our county faces increasing energy demands and environmental challenges, investing in renewable energy solutions is both a strategic and responsible choice,” Schneider said in the letter. “This project represents a significant step toward a cleaner, more sustainable future while offering substantial benefits to our local economy.”
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