Asked if they could see a single redeeming quality in a plan for a massive solar project in a residential area, a room full of Ocean View residents gave a resounding no on Thursday night. ADVERTISING Asked if they could
Asked if they could see a single redeeming quality in a plan for a massive solar project in a residential area, a room full of Ocean View residents gave a resounding no on Thursday night.
Hawaiian Ocean View Ranchos, a subdivision on the makai side of Hawaii Belt Road, will be host to the project as soon as early next year — unless residents are able to stop it.
Ocean View homeowners in a packed community center mulled possible legal action to oppose the project by Oahu-based Solar Hub Utilities and global SPI Solar, a plan that would place about 30,000 panels on 26 lots. The patchwork of arrays will each produce 250 killowatts using 1,172 panels, and take up about 2 acres on 3-acre lots.
Seven of the lots are clustered together and the rest are scattered, leaving properties sandwiched between arrays in some cases, residents said.
“You’re going to walk out your front door and see solar panels three times the size of this parking lot,” said Stanley Troeller. “It’s going to impact the community and it has to be stopped.”
Laws designed to promote solar on agricultural land benefit renewable energy goals, but when huge projects are placed in subdivisions zoned agricultural, property values lose out, said residents who also worried about deforestation and impacts to roads. Residents were particularly irked that no public forum had been provided for them to weigh in on the project.
Solar Hub filed for the permits for the project in 2012 and contracted with Hawaii Electric Light Co. to sell the electricity at 23.6 cents per killowatt hour. In 2013, developers seemed ready to proceed, but nothing happened with the project. In early July, project developer Dominic Lopez said in an email to Ranchos resident Ann Bosted that SPI would work with residents to reduce impacts.
“This will provide no jobs,” said Nancy Bondurant. “At issue here is a corporation building something in a residential community and hoping we are just going to be dumb and roll over.”
Representatives with the companies met with residents once in June, and appeared taken aback by the level of resistance, said Sandi Alexander, vice president of the Ocean View Community Association. Prior to that time, few residents had any idea what was happening, she said.
“It’s just this whole back door approach,” Alexander said.
State Rep. Richard Creagan, D-Naalehu, said he would be meeting with Gov. David Ige today and planned to discuss the project with him. But Creagan cautioned that the state laws allowing solar projects on agricultural land won’t be changed overnight. The short-term response in Ocean View’s case should be legal action, Creagan said.
“It’s going to be a long slog fighting these guys,” he said. “The key is a lawsuit. I think if you ask for an environmental assessment, a judge will require it.”
Maile David, councilwoman for District 6, said the laws allow the project, but that residents were harmed by the lack of information and opportunity to have input.
“You deserve some sort of hearing,” David said.
Residents say the clumps of panels will have to be fenced and lighted, spoiling scenery and lowering property values.
“Without community support and without security,” one resident said, “those panels will be dismantled.”
