Community Solar wants to help improve Formosa Road for future uses

By Charles Bolinger

Editor • In the final item of his report at the July 6 Troy City Council meeting, City Administrator Jay Keeven discussed the Higgins property off of Formosa Road. This land is located southwest of the Plummer Business Park and south of US 40.

“Mr. Higgins has his permits for storage units and he can move forward with them. He hasn’t yet but I’ve also been approached by a solar company, Community Solar, that he has contacted and wants to lease portions of his ground,” Keeven said.

Most of his land [comprises] 20 to 25 acres and is within Ameren’s territory but slightly more than five to six acres falls within Southwestern Electric’s territory, he said. He said the land that is in Ameren’s zone is more conducive for solar because they get more return on investment (ROI) from Ameren.

Keeven said he has spoken to people at Southwestern Electric about vacating their right to electric in those five to six acres as long as it’s solar. 

Community Solar understands that solar farms don’t really financially benefit the city or nearby residents or add to the city’s property tax base. Therefore, they want to give Troy officials a financial commitment to improve Formosa Road once their project is done, he said. Without stating amounts, Keeven said Community Solar gave him “some substantial numbers.”

Improving Formosa would also help out two subdivisions that Osborn Development has planned for the west side of Formosa.

“To me, that makes sense,” Keeven said. “This is an area where they may be required to get a variance for solar but he was not certain since Illinois state laws now supersede local ones regarding solar.

Keeven said Community Solar hopes to have something on this to the planning commission in August followed by the full city council in August or September. 

The next Troy City Council meeting is July 20 at 6:30 p.m. in city hall, 116 E. Market St.