Dodge County Planning Commission forwards Solar Garden and Sand Mine Pit requests to commissioners

er Dodge County and a conditional use permit for one more was approved by the Dodge County Planning Commission Nov 2. Also approved were an interim use permit for a new mine for pit run sand and for a home on less than 53 acres in the agricultural district. Public hearings were held during the meeting for all three requests.

The proposed one-megawatt solar garden will be four acres in size on the north end of a parcel of about 18 acres belonging to Boyd Demmer in Hayfield Township near the intersection of Highway 30 and Highway 56. The applicant is SunRay Energy, LLC. Boyd’s son, Randy Demmer, was at the meeting to answer questions. It is the smallest solar garden thus far approved in the county. According to documents submitted with the application, “ …a community solar garden will allow Xcel Energy customers in Hayfield and Dodge County or in adjacent counties to become subscribers and receive bill credits on their retail electric bills.” 

The entire site will be fenced with an 8-foot high chain link fence. The top of the solar panels will be between six and eight feet off the ground. 

This garden will be built using Ten K Solar panels which have the ability to produce electricity even if a portion of the panels are obscured by, for example, snow. This equipment is made in Bloomington. The modules