La Casa public hearing set for next Monday

La Casa public hearing set for next Monday News Staff Tue, 05/07/2024 - 3:55 pm   Blue dots represent proposed locations for the La Casa wind farm project in southeast Stephens County. County commissioners will consider amendments to the abatement agreement Monday, May 13 at 9 a.m. File photo By Mike Williams news@breckenridgeamerican.com Community members will have another opportunity this month to voice their opinions on the La Casa Wind, LLC wind farm project in Stephens County. The Stephens County Commissioners Court will host a public hearing at 9 a.m. Monday, May 13 regarding proposed abatement amendments at the Stephens County Courthouse. According to Stephens County Judge Michael Roach, one purpose of the amendments is to speed up the construction process. La Casa submitted a proposed amendment to officially begin improvements by Saturday, June 1, along with other changes. “Some of that construction from my understanding will be on some TxDOT bridges on (FM) 717 that goes from (Hwy.) 180 down on that farm-to-market road to the project area,” Roach said. La Casa is requesting the right to request two, one-year extensions of the Dec. 31, 2024 deadline to Dec. 31, 2025 and Dec. 31, 2026. These extensions are for a deadline to complete the project to at least 100-megawatt capacity. The original agreement allowed for one extension to Dec. 31, 2025. The deadline defined in the approved abatement agreement is Dec. 31, 2024. Another amendment requested in the abatement is a change in the road use and repair agreement. La Casa is requesting to submit a road use plan 14 days before the commencement of construction for approval by county commissioners. The previous agreement was 180-days’ notice. The original agreement required La Casa to make an annual contribution to a Stephens County charitable organization designated by the commissioners of $50,000. That amount will increase to $75,000 if the proposed changes are approved following the May 13 hearing. “On the high-level view that we did, we pushed back on them and requested a $100,000 investment in nonprofits in our community,” Roach said. “We started off at $50,000, they proposed a half-way point of ($75,000). Over the course of 10 years that will be three-quarters of a million dollars.” The payments are due Jan. 31 each year of the abatement period. County commissioners will inform the Stephens County nonprofit of its decision to allocate funds no later than Dec. 31 before the payment’s due date from La Casa. The original abatement requires La Casa to provide at least one new full-time job in connection with the operation of improvements through direct employment or an affiliate or subsidiary of La Casa. The proposed amendment increased that number to at least two full-time jobs. The section of the agreement relating to the spacing of turbines section of the agreement was amended to be more defined and include Palo Pinto Mountains State Park. No turbines will be allowed within 9,240 feet from the nearest boundary of Palo Pinto Mountains State Park and five miles from Tucker Lake, located inside the park. Turbines will not be allowed within 1,000 feet of county roads except for CR 131 and CR 174, nor will they be allowed within 700 feet of a property line of property owners who have not signed a lease agreement with La Casa. County commissioners previously approved a tax abatement agreement with La Casa establishing guidelines the company needed to follow for an abatement following a public hearing March 11. The Stephens County La Casa Wind Reinvestment Zone was previously approved following a public hearing Oct. 11, 2023. Both the original tax abatement agreement and the proposed amendments are available on the Stephens County website, co.stephens.tx.us/page/stephens.Home. News Log in to post comments