San Francisco based Silverado Power Plans to build Six Solar Sites in parts of Lancaster and Los Angeles County

Silverado Solar plans to build six solar energy fields within almost 1,000 acres in unincorporated Los Angeles County. The projects are on the west side of Hwy 14 and they all have been partially approved by Lancaster Planning Department and Los Angeles Regional Planning. They run between 30th Street West and 120th streets West. Lancaster planning’s website indicates that two of them will be above Ave D near Hwy 14, while the other four will be south of Hwy 138. Silverado is currently buying the land and negotiating prices with realtors and sellers. What seems unique is that some of the parcels are 2.5 acres in size such as the area at 100th West at Ave K. Most of the time we have found that solar firms target large parcels. This causes the solar firm to negotiate with numerous sellers while getting approval from LA Regional Planning. According to AV Press, the six projects will generate a combined 172 megawatts of energy with the largest one being a 52 megawatt facility on 256 acres, running from avenues J to H-8 between 85th and 97th streets west. There are a lot of individual parcels in this area as well. Officials have yet to fully approve the plans and are still receiving public comments as part of the environmental impact review process. Dust and the availability of water seems to be a hurdle. Silverado claims to have a solution to use water outside of the area or reclaimed water. There have been a lot of solar projects and this dust issue was not addressed with the other projects now run by First Solar. Silverado came late to the game and now they have to implement dust control guidelines as part of the environmental report. It is very likely they will have a number of other mitigation procedures because of the impact on the burrowing owl, ground squirrel and other plant and animal species that maybe affected. The west side of Antelope Valley has seem an increase in land sales because of all of the solar projects in the area. Many local homeowners don’t like this alternative energy growth so close to home, but the land owners who live elsewhere have been happy to unload their land. Stay tuned here with vacantlanddeals.com and we will provide current updates on this project and others as they affect real estate in Lancaster and Palmdale, Ca

Where are the Significant Ecological Areas of the Antelope Valley in Los Angeles County, Ca?

We get a number of inquiries regarding the location of these plant and animal wild life areas. We have looked at specific areas of the Antelope Valley which harbor most of the Significant Ecological Areas (SEA) that encompasses stricter land uses. These areas are essentially protected natural locations and by definition a protected area would be a “clearly defined geographical space, recognized, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means to achieve long-term conservation of nature, the ecosystem, and cultural values”.
The stricter land use primarily means less development would be allowed, but development is not prohibited. For example a small portion of AVSolarRanchOne’s property is within a SEA Zone.
There is a map supplied by the Los Angeles County Regional Planning department, but as far as we can tell a detailed version is not online, but you can purchase one from the Planning Department. The SEA zone areas that involve the Antelope Valley are mostly on the far west side. Most of these but not all of theses area involve the Joshua Tree Woodlands. Approximately (2) 640 acres parcel areas between 180th West to 190th West Ave C-8 to Ave E-8, Also a large 640 acre Park at 200th West to 210th at Ave E to Ave F, Most of Fairmount Butte south of Ave D (Hwy 138) through the Butte mountains to the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. It also encompasses most of the area from 200th to 210th West from Ave. C-8 to Ave F which includes the Park. Another area is a backward L shaped area from 190th West to 200th West Ave B-8 to Ave D. In addition, there are two large areas which are irregularly shaped from Ave A to A-12 200th West to 220th West. This particular area was owned by Red Dawn SunTower LLC (E-Solar) which they now appear to be selling. It may be because they ran across environmental issues with the Joshua Tree Woodlands. There is another large area which spans the breadth and width of AV SolarRanchOne now owned by First Solar Inc.
This SEA Zone area is generally north of the developing Solar Ranch running 140th West to 180th West from Ave B to Ave D. The SEA zone doesn’t cover all of this area but most of it.
On Antelope Valley’s East Side there are three main Significant Ecological Areas one is the Llano wash where the SEA zone runs the length and width of this along a narrow stream corridor from Ave Z north to Ave M 110th East to 150th East at its widest span. The second area surrounds and encompasses Saddle Butte Park which is 160th East to 200th East Ave J to Ave M. This SEA zone is almost a circle around the Park. The third area is 230th Street East to 260th Street East (San Bernardino County line) from Ave R south to the mountains. Theses three East side areas involve water areas and washes which provide nutrients and protection to small plants and animal life.
There is sparse development in these SEA zones, but large development would most likely be prohibited. Two cases in point are the Fairmount Butte Motor Sports park was within a SEA zone and that project is now cancelled, and also E-Solar is selling most of the land it recently acquired we think primarily because of the Joshua Tree Woodlands. But custom homes have been built and continually are built in these areas, and as we mention part of AV Solar Ranch One’s property is within a SEA Zone.