I have spoken to both Sarah and to Adam regarding the Opalco project and I have told them that I believe that this project will both harm the future of solar in general as well as threaten the AG zoning which protects the San Juan Valley. This solar power plant placed in a very well traveled view shed like this will give the concept of solar power production a black eye. The proposed project will be about as attractive as a penitentiary in this location. The real problem with this proposal is that if passed it will break the AG resource zoning and open AG lands to more future development. The claim put forward by Opalco that this project will cover less than the 20% of the land area of the parcel is disingenuous and is a very visible fraud. One look at their site plan reveals this quite clearly. The intention of the AG resource zoning code is to allow a maximum of 20% land coverage and to keep 80% of the land open and unencumbered. Fortunately there are people who helped draft the original code who are still with us and will testify as to the intent inherent in the AG resources zoning code.

I also found the statement by Sarah and Adam about the two pairs of Bald Eagles that inhabit the corner very misleading. Yes, the Eagles nest and perch on their property but their main perch and hunting trees are on the Opalco property. I have photographed them many times on the large fir trees that Opalco plans to remove (with no mention of the Eagles) 

I followed an island girl up here 25 years ago from the wine country town of Healdsbug, Ca. I watched as proposals like this one passed and eroded the previous AG protections that Sonoma County had in place. On many of the country roads there are now 3-5 story condominiums where there used to be only vineyards. What was once a rural town now has fancy hotels and restaurants with drunk tourists wandering the square. Be careful what you invite to our precious Islands.

Royce Meyerott