Solar farm faces higher approval hurdle as protest petition forces unanimous vote
Ellis County commissioners to decide on 175-megawatt Tallgrass project amid neighbor opposition
HAYS, Kan. — A proposed 175-megawatt solar farm in Ellis County will require unanimous approval from county commissioners after neighboring landowners filed a valid protest petition, County Counselor Bill Jeter confirmed Tuesday. The Tallgrass Solar Farm project, spanning roughly 1,150 acres, must now secure a 3-0 vote for its conditional use permit, meaning a single dissenting vote would kill the application under Kansas statute.
Steven Link, representing developer IBV Energy, told commissioners the project targets a construction start in the first half of 2027, with full operation expected by 2028. Link said the site was selected due to available transmission capacity and a favorable permitting environment, though the project will not include battery storage systems. The protest petition met the statutory threshold requiring signatures from 20 percent of eligible landowners within the notification buffer zone.
County Administrator Darin Myers said negotiations are underway on a "payment in lieu of taxes" agreement with IBV Energy to offset revenue losses during a 10-year tax abatement period allowed under state law for renewable energy projects. The county is seeking a fixed payment amount per megawatt that could fund road improvements or supplement the general fund, though Myers said no final dollar amount has been reached.
The commission has not yet scheduled a final vote on the conditional use permit. Solar projects have faced mixed reception in rural Kansas counties as developers seek to capitalize on transmission infrastructure while some agricultural landowners raise concerns about land use changes and property values.
Greg Loving
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