By Peter Day
Editor
Community leaders Richard Selby and Chuck Bell are spearheading an effort to provide the county with alternative locations for renewable energy projects.
An initial draft document details siting criteria and conditions for approving industrial-scale projects on private lands.
Selby, the former president of the Lucerne Valley Municipal Advisory Council, and Bell, the current president of the Lucerne Valley Economic Development Association, want the county to amend its general plan and develop codes to include their suggestions.
The two, and others in the area, contend that current solar and wind project siting would be detrimental to the community and its economy.
They suggest the county’s currently designated locations could lead to a loss of property values, adversely affect the job market and conflict with existing and future developments that would be more economically viable.
Bell and Selby also site strong local opposition to utility-scale wind projects.
They suggest the county first consider rooftop solar projects before opening the gate to utilizing zoned lands.
Other concerns include obscuring desert views historically embraced by residents of Lucerne Valley and other high desert areas, construction related disruptions and other issues such as the creation of dust and construction-related water consumption.
Other details of the draft plan spearheaded by Selby and Bell will appear in a future issue of the Leader.