Douglas County approves key plans for controversial Kansas Sky solar project

Douglas County commissioners cleared two of the last major hurdles for the Kansas Sky Energy Center, a proposed 1,105-acre solar project north of Lawrence, by approving stormwater management and agrivoltaics plans that will shape how the site handles rain, vegetation and day-to-day farm use if construction ever begins.

The vote advanced a project county materials say could reach 159 megawatts alternating current and generate enough electricity for about 30,000 Kansas homes each year. It also kept the spotlight on what nearby landowners may see next: more detailed drainage planning, renewed vegetation reviews, and continued fights over whether the project belongs on prime farmland in Grant Township.

Commissioners took the action at a Dec. 18 meeting at the Douglas County Public Works/Zoning and Codes Building after more than two hours of public comment, much of it from opponents. About 30 people spoke, and most objected to the plans, saying they had not been given enough time to review the revisions and warning that the solar fields could alter runoff patterns and add flood risk near North Lawrence.

Ted Boyle, president of the North Lawrence Improvement Association, said residents there have lived through repeated floods and remain worried that the project could worsen that threat. Michael Almon, owner of Paradigm Design, questioned whether agrivoltaics had been studied enough to answer cost, worker safety and liability questions before it is expanded more broadly in the solar industry.

Supporters argued the project would cut carbon emissions and create pollinator habitat on ground now used for agriculture. Commissioner Shannon Reid acknowledged that many residents felt a sense of loss and fear, but said change also brings uncertainty and possible benefits. County planning staff said the agrivoltaics plan would come back to the commission multiple times to set goals and make sure conditions are met, leaving the project’s long-term vegetation strategy still under close review.

The plans were among the last conditions the project needed before moving forward, though construction remains blocked by a lawsuit filed in May 2024 by Grant Township, the North Lawrence Improvement Association and other plaintiffs. A judge allowed commissioners to vote on the plans but barred any construction or land modification while the case continues. The same project had already won approval for its conditional use permit in April 2024, received a formal resolution in May, and secured a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement in August that begins with a $200,000 payment after the project is completed and operating.