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Solar park eyed for Benson, would create jobs
Adam Bernal/San Pedro Valley News-Sun
A new solar park has been planned for the area south of Aviation Drive to help bring more jobs to the Benson area and make it an attractive option for outside businesses.
At the city council meeting Jan. 12, council unanimously approved rezoning 25 acres near Aviation Drive from RT (Rural Transitional) to I-2 (Heavy Industrial). The application from Colt RR, LLC to the city's planning and zoning department described the concept of an industrial business complex specializing in alternative energies, including research and development, manufacture, warehousing and wholesale activities.
Colt RR LLC, is a group of land improvement contractors and ranch property owners who purchased the rezoned property.
The property is south of Aviation Drive, west of Ocotillo Road and east of Benson Municipal Airport.
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend the rezoning of the parcels on Dec. 9, 2008.
Benson resident Kevin Rasch, one of the owners of Colt RR LLC, said the rezoned 25-acre property is the first phase of a long-term solar park development that will eventually cover 200 acres.
Rasch received the money to fund the $3,200 rezoning from private funding and from investors interested in the solar park project.
Rasch said he originally bought the property for ranching but decided it could be better used as a space for potential businesses.
Rasch said plans for the property include a solar park to promote the use of solar power as an alternative fuel. He said the group is trying to target solar panel manufacturers and has discussed business ideas with Allstate Industries, which specializes in biofuel.
Another goal of the solar park project is to prepare the entire 200 acres of land to attract outside businesses and bring more job opportunities for residents. With alternative energy becoming a larger commodity, he said the possibility of bringing high-paying technology jobs to the area would be a great opportunity for many job seekers.
"It's to help the community by offering new jobs," Rasch said about his goals for the solar park. "I think alternative energy is the marketplace of the future."
Rasch hopes to use the park to promote solar power and have Benson be a leader in helping make that happen in an efficient way that is friendly to the local environment.
"We'd like this to be a model to learn how to develop the independence of bringing solar power to their communities," Rasch said.
Interim City Manager Glenn Nichols said the solar park would be a great benefit for Benson to bring in green industries and help attract more employment opportunities to the area.
"It would bring in clean energy and provide jobs for people in the community," Nichols said.
After receiving the rezoning approval, Rasch hopes to get the rough grading done sometime in early 2009. There are also plans in the spring to show the land to potential business clients, he said.
A new solar park has been planned for the area south of Aviation Drive to help bring more jobs to the Benson area and make it an attractive option for outside businesses.
At the city council meeting Jan. 12, council unanimously approved rezoning 25 acres near Aviation Drive from RT (Rural Transitional) to I-2 (Heavy Industrial). The application from Colt RR, LLC to the city's planning and zoning department described the concept of an industrial business complex specializing in alternative energies, including research and development, manufacture, warehousing and wholesale activities.
Colt RR LLC, is a group of land improvement contractors and ranch property owners who purchased the rezoned property.
The property is south of Aviation Drive, west of Ocotillo Road and east of Benson Municipal Airport.
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend the rezoning of the parcels on Dec. 9, 2008.
Benson resident Kevin Rasch, one of the owners of Colt RR LLC, said the rezoned 25-acre property is the first phase of a long-term solar park development that will eventually cover 200 acres.
Rasch received the money to fund the $3,200 rezoning from private funding and from investors interested in the solar park project.
Rasch said he originally bought the property for ranching but decided it could be better used as a space for potential businesses.
Rasch said plans for the property include a solar park to promote the use of solar power as an alternative fuel. He said the group is trying to target solar panel manufacturers and has discussed business ideas with Allstate Industries, which specializes in biofuel.
Another goal of the solar park project is to prepare the entire 200 acres of land to attract outside businesses and bring more job opportunities for residents. With alternative energy becoming a larger commodity, he said the possibility of bringing high-paying technology jobs to the area would be a great opportunity for many job seekers.
"It's to help the community by offering new jobs," Rasch said about his goals for the solar park. "I think alternative energy is the marketplace of the future."
Rasch hopes to use the park to promote solar power and have Benson be a leader in helping make that happen in an efficient way that is friendly to the local environment.
"We'd like this to be a model to learn how to develop the independence of bringing solar power to their communities," Rasch said.
Interim City Manager Glenn Nichols said the solar park would be a great benefit for Benson to bring in green industries and help attract more employment opportunities to the area.
"It would bring in clean energy and provide jobs for people in the community," Nichols said.
After receiving the rezoning approval, Rasch hopes to get the rough grading done sometime in early 2009. There are also plans in the spring to show the land to potential business clients, he said.
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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of bensonnews-sun.com.
Frank Edward Blanchard wrote on Feb 5, 2009 12:53 PM:
" I am all for a solar park in the Benson area,
It certainly would bring jobs to local community which are sorely needed. I also believe it would be an opportunity for local housing contractors to offer solar alternatives to the homes they build in the area.
It would indeed create more jobs to go along when the industrial park jobs.
They would also be an opportunity for someone in the area to start a small business converting already existing homes to solar power modules.
I myself have experience with converting to solar energy on a small budget I have been converting my home gradually over a few years. I have reduced my consumption of butane, and electricity from the grid dramatically which has already substantially paid back the investment I've already made.
Solar in Arizona with the new technologies today is absolutely the way to go.
Wind power is not as efficient as solar panels in this area. Remember we get almost 10 hours a day of beautiful sunlight during the summer months any full eight hours during the winter which can provide many many watts for storage.
Now grid tied systems are very expensive but is a good investment. However I went a step farther and put in my own electric storage by way of batteries that I have purchased in Benson. By doing that I run my home by night on the stored energy and run the same home during the day at a great reduction of the usage which saves mean a great deal of money. I also have been running electric heaters off of my stored energy so my heating the home is more than efficient and very cost friendly, of course reducing the use of butane and off the grid power dramatically.
So a factory and a warehouse facility for solar panels in the Benson area would be a major boost to our local economy. It would also be a major opportunity for some local residents to start their own small business.
Just an added thought, if one was to buy and electric automobile and this person had a solar package running their home, they can also recharge their vehicle quite cheaply.
Of course that would save the grid from undue stress that many are worried about when it comes to electric vehicles.
Just think you put in a solar panels by and electric vehicle charge it without the electrical grid it would reduce consumption of foreign oil and create jobs in the Benson area and save money.
Wonderful idea zoning a solar park industrial complex.
Now the mayor and others have their jobs cut out for them to get these industries in Benson quite beneficial for local economy and job market. Everyone could benefit.
Solar power is the way for the future in Arizona.
I am all for solar conversion in our homes in Arizona go for it Benson "
It certainly would bring jobs to local community which are sorely needed. I also believe it would be an opportunity for local housing contractors to offer solar alternatives to the homes they build in the area.
It would indeed create more jobs to go along when the industrial park jobs.
They would also be an opportunity for someone in the area to start a small business converting already existing homes to solar power modules.
I myself have experience with converting to solar energy on a small budget I have been converting my home gradually over a few years. I have reduced my consumption of butane, and electricity from the grid dramatically which has already substantially paid back the investment I've already made.
Solar in Arizona with the new technologies today is absolutely the way to go.
Wind power is not as efficient as solar panels in this area. Remember we get almost 10 hours a day of beautiful sunlight during the summer months any full eight hours during the winter which can provide many many watts for storage.
Now grid tied systems are very expensive but is a good investment. However I went a step farther and put in my own electric storage by way of batteries that I have purchased in Benson. By doing that I run my home by night on the stored energy and run the same home during the day at a great reduction of the usage which saves mean a great deal of money. I also have been running electric heaters off of my stored energy so my heating the home is more than efficient and very cost friendly, of course reducing the use of butane and off the grid power dramatically.
So a factory and a warehouse facility for solar panels in the Benson area would be a major boost to our local economy. It would also be a major opportunity for some local residents to start their own small business.
Just an added thought, if one was to buy and electric automobile and this person had a solar package running their home, they can also recharge their vehicle quite cheaply.
Of course that would save the grid from undue stress that many are worried about when it comes to electric vehicles.
Just think you put in a solar panels by and electric vehicle charge it without the electrical grid it would reduce consumption of foreign oil and create jobs in the Benson area and save money.
Wonderful idea zoning a solar park industrial complex.
Now the mayor and others have their jobs cut out for them to get these industries in Benson quite beneficial for local economy and job market. Everyone could benefit.
Solar power is the way for the future in Arizona.
I am all for solar conversion in our homes in Arizona go for it Benson "
Sherry wrote on Feb 3, 2009 10:03 PM: