The Merrillville Town Council has approved a scaled-back solar farm proposal.
The town says in a press release that council members approved a variance Tuesday, letting Lightsource BP develop a solar farm on more than 300 acres of industrial-zoned land on Colorado and Clay streets. Lightsource BP had also wanted to install solar panels on 160 acres near 97th and Grand Boulevard but withdrew the site from the development plan, following opposition from residents.
The multi-million-dollar project is still expected to generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual property tax revenue. The project also calls for a buffer zone with trees and shrubbery, and a land management plan could include a pollinator habitat and natural undergrowth to help with drainage.
