PLYMOUTH — In a special meeting on Tuesday night, the Marshall County Board of Zoning Appeals
reviewed and approved findings of fact from their meeting in December of last year, denying a variance of use for Tamarack Solar to use land in the Culver area to construct a solar farm.
The denial of the variance led to Tamarack filing suit against the Board and asking for a venue change to Fort Wayne and Allen County Superior Court. The meeting on Tuesday was to allow the BZA to review their findings of fact and make any changes before presenting the findings to the Judge in the case.
In a discussion that lasted less than half an hour, the BZA approved those findings of fact for presentation.
The Board made several slight changes and added points of emphasis.
One such was emphasizing the comprehensive plan for the county called for the preservation of farmland and open space in the county and the concern the installation would have on wildlife in the area.
A second was another item in the comprehensive plan stating that villages in the county should have the ability to grow larger in the future, and the BZA felt the growth of Burr Oak would be inhibited by the facility surrounding it.
The plight of one resident of the area was also highlighted, as the family had purchased land in the area before talk of the solar facility and had not been informed of its possibility. The land purchased would be surrounded by solar panels instead of farmland.
Concerns for groundwater contamination from lead and cadmium were also pointed out.
Only three members of the board — President Jeff Gustafson, Trent Bennett, and Tim Pletcher — were present since there was some dispute over paperwork on the two alternate members that had been appointed.
