Stockton residents vote yes or no on zoning in wake of solar farm development
Stockton, Alabama residents voted to approve the establishment of a zoning commission to manage future growth decisions. This vote was prompted by a proposed 4,500-acre solar farm by Silicon Ranch, intended to power a data center in Montgomery, Alabama. Community members, who felt blindsided by the solar farm project, formed a group called "Stop Solar in Stockton" to push for zoning.
Stockton, Alabama, residents have voted 57-percent to 43-percent in favor of allowing a Zoning Commission to oversee all future growth decisions in the community. This pivotal vote comes in the wake of plans for a 4,500-acre solar farm, developed by Silicon Ranch, which is slated to supply electricity to a data center located in Montgomery, Alabama. The project, encompassing timberland and wetlands bordered by Interstate 65 and Highway 59 in northwest Baldwin County, sparked immediate grassroots opposition.
Residents like Diane Sellers expressed frustration, stating the community felt "sold out" by the public service commission and received no prior notification about the solar farm. This led to the formation of "Stop Solar in Stockton," an advocacy group pushing for zoning as a mechanism to manage development. Jay Dixon, Director of the Baldwin County Planning and Zoning Commission, clarified that zoning serves as a tool to guide growth rather than halt it, ensuring proper management as development occurs. While some residents like Danny Hastie opposed zoning, advocating for property rights, others like John Murphy supported it, believing it would prevent the community from being "taken advantage of" again. The outcome establishes a new regulatory framework for the previously unzoned community.