Stockton Residents Battle Over Solar Farm Zoning

0:00It's April 8th. This is Birmingham News today, powered by AI. Residents in Stockton, an unincorporated spot in North Baldwin County, Alabama, are fired up over a proposed 2,000 acre solar farm by silicon, ranch, costing $350 million. They gathered way more signatures than needed, over 176 in just 24 hours, to force a zoning referendum, likely hitting, ballots on June 30th. After this week, the Baldwin County Commission certified the vote and backed off a contract with Jacobs engineering amid worries about the firms. Solar industry links. County Engineer Frank Lundy says they'll stick to standard reviews with state and federal oversight if any solar plans move forward. Locals are split some fear, losing control over their land, while others see zoning as a shield against industrial sprawl. Others like Jeb Ball praise the grassroots push, but Matt McKinsey warns is a double-edged sore that locks in rules forever.

1:00Meanwhile, silicon ranch faces a public hearing tonight at 6.30 p.m. at the John R. Road Civic Center, their first chance to explain directly to folks. The Alabama Synod just greenlit a one-year moratorium on new solar farms in Baldwin and Mobile Counties, heading to the house with just days left in, session. This zoning battle highlights the tension between growth, property rights, and clean energy in a booming rural area. Eyes stay glued as voters and lawmakers weigh in.