INGLESIDE, Tx — Ingleside has all sorts of industries in every direction. Now, talks of a solar farm project have left many people upset.
"I think the general public needs to know more about what's happening in their backyard,” Ingleside resident Eric Schwenke said.
Schwenke has lived in Ingleside his entire life.
He has a ranch, a house and business so he knows the land like the back of his hand and has experienced the ups and downs.
"There's wet years that you go down there, and there's a foot of water everywhere you look for acres and acres,” Schwenke said.
That's exactly what Schwenke told officials during Tuesday's City Council meeting when they discussed the Port of Corpus Christi's request for a special use permit to build a solar farm.
"If they go in there and build these solar panels. The solar panel won't be the problem, the problem will be the infrastructure, the wires the maintenance, the roads. They won't look at the drainage,” Schwenke said.
Several other neighbors, even those who don’t live in the area, made their comments.
The Coastal Watch Association was also there with the petition they started against the solar farm.
"Again, the effects to migratory birds and pollinators, we should really look at,” one Ingleside resident said.
The Port of Corpus Christi presented its proposed 1,866-acre solar farm to the council. They say it could benefit the City of Ingleside.
Schwenke said they need to do some more research if they plan to build in a wetlands zone.
"They really need do more research and how they're going to drain the water from over there,” Schwenke said.
After hearing these concerns, the Ingleside City Council postponed a vote on the special use permit for the solar farm.
Ingleside City Council will meet again on February 25. If you want to sign the petition, click here.
