The company plans to develop a solar farm partially on top of 123 acres of capped landfill, plus 234 acres of surrounding agricultural areas. It will pay the city $85 per acre as part of the lease.
“Today we got an outcome that gives us a real shot at making Lexington a leader, and not only the green energy revolution, but meeting the climate challenge, all the while doing some really good things for the community in the process,” said company CEO Adam Edelen.
The council’s vote on the lease had previously been delayed over concerns the city was not getting enough money from the developer. Before the final reading, members of the Lexington Model Airplane Club, whose headquarters are based near the landfill, came to council, warning they would be displaced if the solar project goes through.
“Flying is not just a hobby, it's an opportunity to learn and to teach,” said club member Dale Arvin. “We work with a lot of youngsters on how to fly model airplanes, and at the same time, we teach them a little bit about physics, electronics, aerodynamics, mechanics and internal combustion engines, jet engines, electric motors, battery technology.”
The club’s current site is recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration as an “FAA-Recognized Identification Area,” which allows drones and other remote-controlled aircraft to be flown without certain hardware restrictions.
“If we move, there is no guarantee the FAA will approve a new location,” said club member James Newberry. “Moving us doesn't mean just a change of address. It risks a federal regulatory grounding that could end our club forever.”
Lexington Chief Administrative Officer Sally Hamilton said she has been working with the club to find a solution. The club’s lease ends in April, and there have been discussions to extend the lease one extra month while they try to find ways to move forward.
“This is a really difficult situation, because both of these projects are really, really good. They just can't coexist with each other,” she said.
The council voted mostly in favor of moving forward with the solar farm lease, in part because of timeline concerns. Edelen has said the company would need to start construction in mid-June to qualify for federal tax credits on renewable energy.
Those credits are scheduled to sunset in July as part of the Big, Beautiful Bill. Major delays would be a blow to the solar farm’s financial prospects, and Edelen said missing out would effectively kill the project.
An amendment to the resolution approving the lease would tie the project’s community benefits agreement, meant to help lower energy costs for low-income households, to the city’s industrial revenue bond, which incentivizes economic development. Both would come before council at the same time.
The agreement would need to be finalized and approved before construction begins in earnest.
“Tying those two together, we have an opportunity to have a real conversation with the developer about what's best for the community as that project moves forward,” said at-large council member James Brown, who introduced the amendment.
Edelen will now reach out to financiers to secure funding for the solar project. He’s hopeful the city bond and the community benefits agreement are approved by the urban county council before the body takes its July recess.
The council voted 10-3 to approve the lease, with two members absent.
