Could The Villages at Noah's Landing become a solar energy provider for Lakeland Electric?

LAKELAND — A Lakeland nonprofit is looking to generate solar power not only to eliminate its own electrical bill, but potentially make money selling power to Lakeland Electric.

Noah's Ark of Central Florida got unanimous approval from the city's Planning and Zoning Board Tuesday morning to potentially build a solar power generation facility on site of its residential community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, The Villages at Noah's Landing.

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"The rezoning from residential to commercial helps our charity pivot from beggar to business partner," said Cauney Bamberg, president and CEO of Noah's Ark.

Noah's Ark approached a solar company in the fall of 2022 in hopes of discussing adding solar panels to the roofs of its current apartment buildings and proposed greenhouse, according to city documents. The nonprofit spends approximately $200,000 a year on electricity, Bamberg said.

"Our goal started with how to get $200,000 back in our pockets and off the grid," she said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the nonprofit. Many residents went home to live with their families and did not pay the activities fee, according to the nonprofit's application, which cut into the organization's revenue stream and created a fiscal deficit.

"It became incumbent upon the new administration to think creatively about how we might solve this deficit," read the nonprofit's documents. Noah's Ark created a solar farm committee which determined it may be able to construct a 5-megawatt solar farm on 20 of the 40 undeveloped acres it has remaining. The nonprofit owns approximately 56 acres along Lake Crago. The Villages at Noah's Landing, built on the northeastern section of land, currently houses about 150 residents, Bamberg said. The solar field would be built by Florida Electric and Solar on the southwest portion of land, closest to Lake Crago.

According to the city, any structure or solar panels would have to be set back at least 50 feet from Lake Crago's high water line. Noah's Landing would also be responsible for creating a landscaped barrier using trees and shrubs, along with possible fencing, to screen the solar field from view. The project's estimated cost, minus anticipated federal tax credits through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, is $3.57 million.

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Parents of Noah Landing's residents have their reservations about the proposed project. City staff received five phone calls from parents expressing concern about its impact. Lakeland native Maria Murphy, a retiree, said she has a daughter who lives at Noah's Land she worries about.

"Those directly affected have never been notified," she said. "We just have questions." Murphy said she learned about the potential solar farm when a notice of public hearing sign was posted on Noah Ark's property. She said the families of Noah's Landing resident have no information about the solar field, the project, its costs and are greatly concerned about the nonprofit's finances and sustainability.

"There's been no transparency, no communication from the applicants to these families," she said.

Murphy argued a solar power generation field should be considered a major modification, not a minor modification.

That classification, Bamberg said, was made by the city staff. She said the nonprofit has not rolled out its plans to community members as they were unsure if it would receive zoning approval, and there are still many steps to go.

Bamberg said Noah's Ark had intentions to build solar power to support the residential development since its inception. If approvals are received, the solar field could be constructed in 90 days. The nonprofit will need to negotiate a power purchase agreement with the city and Lakeland Electric. Cathryn Lacy, LE's spokeswoman, said the nonprofit has approached the municipal utility with a concept but no agreement is in place.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on Twitter @SaraWalshFl.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland nonprofit looks to build solar field, sell energy