The city commission recently approved a request to rezone about 70 acres of agricultural land around the 5100 block of Little Richmond Road in northwest Dayton.
The rezoning will help Gem City Solar, a subsidiary of TED Renewables, convert more than 250 acres of land into a large solar park.
The 70-acre subject property is expected to get about 22,400 solar panels. The entire project site might have around 116,000 panels.
The total solar array project is expected to be a capital investment of $70 million or more, according to Edwards.
The 49.9-megawatt project could get underway in late 2024 and begin operation a year later, Edwards said.
“We intend to be a very good corporate neighbor, a very good community partner,” he said. “We want to be here long-term.”
Electricity generated from the solar array will be fed into an existing transmission line that runs through the site. The project will enhance the resiliency of Dayton’s electrical supply with affordable, clean and reliable electricity, according to TED Renewables.
The project is in line with the city’s sustainability goals, said Tony Kroeger, the city’s planning manager.
“This is a truly a chance for this city to put its decision where its policy lies, which is that of a forward-thinking, sustainable city,” Kroeger said, prior to the commission vote.
Dayton city commissioners said they are very supportive of the project and they hope to see more investments like it in the future.
“We’ve been happy to be known as a city that is running things in a sustainable way and this is just a continuation of that,” said Dayton City Commissioner Matt Joseph.
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