COLLINSVILLE – The Madison County Board voted against the building of a solar facility in Collinsville Township.
Armoracia Solar applied for a special use permit to develop a commercial solar energy facility at the southeast corner of Interstate 55 and Pleasant Ridge Road in Collinsville. The property, owned by Jacob Frey and Scott Frey, is zoned as an “R-3” Single-Family Residential District.
The Madison County Zoning Board of Appeals recommended that the application be denied. At the County Board meeting on Feb. 19, 2025, several people spoke in favor and in opposition of the solar facility. The County Board ultimately voted to uphold the Zoning Board of Appeal’s denial.
Mick Madison, the chairman of the Building and Zoning Committee, explained that property values and concerns about the reflection off the solar panels were the main reasons why the Committee decided to deny it.
“Hurting property values was one of the things that we looked at the most,” Madison said. “It’s going to be detrimental to someone’s property values. I personally felt that it would be. There’s an argument that says it is not. There’s arguments that say it improves the property value. I’ve also read arguments that say it does go down.”
Madison added that he decided to vote against the solar facility because he felt the closest solar panel to the property line was “way too close” at 157 feet. He noted that the property is zoned residential, and the surrounding homeowners did not build their homes with the expectation that a commercial solar facility would be built nearby.
“One hundred-fifty feet is not very far to have a whole field of solar panels behind you,” he said. “To me, personally, I feel it’s too much to impose on homeowners that are already there. If you build a solar farm and people want to build up to it, that’s completely their choice. But to me, this takes away those homeowners’ choice.”
Alison Lamothe noted that “reactions were mixed.” She said she read two letters from neighbors who were “actually quite strongly” in favor of the project and two letters from neighbors who were opposed. She pointed out that the Madison County Board recently voted to approve a truck stop development project even though surrounding homeowners voiced opposition.
“We voted in favor of the development,” she said. “The argument that swayed people was that that development was going to produce revenue for the community. This development will produce more revenue for the community.”
Lamothe said she was planning to vote in favor of the solar facility. Madison pointed out that the truck stop’s property was already zoned commercial and the subdivision built up around it, while the solar facility development property is zoned residential and homeowners already live nearby.
Paul Nicolussi said the location is in his district and he has heard from people who are for it, but “the overwhelming majority” are against it.
“I’ll say the overwhelming majority of my community is against it that I’ve talked to,” he explained. “I’ve never seen an issue they’re so strong on as far as the city leadership. Once again, it’s unanimous they’re against this. I have a letter from the city speaking how they would not like it.”
Michael “Doc” Holliday asked if the concerns about the solar panels’ reflection could be addressed by turning the panels around to face the other way.
“If they turned it the other way, because they’re angled to hit the sun at the correct angle or the best angle to get electricity produced, then they wouldn’t be pointing towards the sun,” Madison responded. “One way, it would be pointing towards the homes. The other way, it would be pointing towards the highway. So I’m not sure that there’s a perfect answer there.”
Frank Dickerson said he would be voting to uphold the denial. He said he believes the majority of people are against it, and he “choose[s] to support the people.”
Ultimately, the Madison County Board voted to deny the application for a special use permit.
