The Macomb Board of Zoning Appeals voted Wednesday to allow a 10-foot-high fence along the southern border of the McDonough Solar 4 farm, exceeding the city’s usual eight-foot limit.
The solar farm sits on the west side of 1000th Street, just south of the railroad tracks and 4055 West Jackson Street. The land is owned by John McKee.
Buzz Becker, representing project developer Pivot Energy, said the taller fence is a concession to neighbors seeking more privacy from the solar installation. He added that a vegetative buffer will fill any gaps not covered by fencing.
Macomb Community Development Director Miranda Lambert said the board will hold a separate hearing in September to consider a similar fence on the property’s east side.
Resident Alisha Shake objected to the solar farm’s location, saying, “Our family home will be next to an industrial area. I think there would be a better place to put this.” Lambert clarified that the solar farm’s approval was not under discussion, as it had already been approved by the Macomb Planning Commission.
