# Council approves Haley Pike solar project after contentious debate on timeline **Published:** 2026-03-26T11:00:00.000Z **Source:** [LFUCG Meeting Minutes](https://lfucg.granicus.com/MinutesViewer.php?view_id=4&clip_id=6734) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/council-approves-haley-pike-solar-project-after-contentious-debate-on-timeline LEXINGTON, Ky. — [The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council approved a ground lease agreement for the Haley Pike solar project](https://lfucg.granicus.com/MinutesViewer.php?view_id=4&clip_id=6734) at its March 26 meeting, moving forward with a development that has sparked concerns about the displacement of the Lexington Model Airplane Club. [The council voted to lease approximately 357 acres of the Haley Pike Landfill to Edelen Renewables, a Lexington-based solar company](https://www.weku.org/lexington-richmond/2026-03-28/lexington-approves-haley-pike-solar-farm-lease-after-delays), for $30,345 in first-year base lease payments. [The 67.4 megawatt facility is expected to generate enough electricity to power about 5,300 homes](https://www.weku.org/lexington-richmond/2026-02-25/lexington-haley-pike-landfill-solar-project-moves-to-council-docket-after-weeks-of-postponement). The meeting showcased sharp divisions among council members about the project's timeline and environmental considerations. At the March 26 session, eleven residents spoke in opposition, while three spoke in support. District 1 Council Member Tyler Morton proposed an amendment requiring approval of a Community Benefits Agreement before construction could begin, citing the need for additional due diligence. The timeline dispute centered on federal tax credits. [Edelen Renewables said the company would need to start construction in mid-June to qualify for federal tax credits on renewable energy](https://www.weku.org/lexington-richmond/2026-03-28/lexington-approves-haley-pike-solar-farm-lease-after-delays), creating pressure to move quickly. Adam Edelen, the company's chief development officer, warned that delays could jeopardize funding and cost the project significant financial benefits. A major obstacle for the project has been [the Lexington Model Airplane Club, which has operated at the site for 26 years](https://www.wkyt.com/2026/03/13/lexington-model-airplane-club-fights-keep-its-airfield-solar-development/). City officials including Chief Administrative Officer Sally Hamilton acknowledged at the meeting that efforts to relocate the club had failed despite extensive outreach. [Kentucky law bans unmanned aircraft from flying over electrical generation facilities](https://www.wkyt.com/2026/03/13/lexington-model-airplane-club-fights-keep-its-airfield-solar-development/), complicating any co-location arrangement. Council Member James Brown, supporting the project with caveats, asked about securing protections for the model airplane club. However, [company officials said missing the construction deadline would effectively kill the project](https://www.weku.org/lexington-richmond/2026-03-28/lexington-approves-haley-pike-solar-farm-lease-after-delays). Edelen Renewables will now seek financing, with hopes that the community benefits agreement is finalized before the council's July recess. ## Sources - [LFUCG Meeting Minutes](https://lfucg.granicus.com/MinutesViewer.php?view_id=4&clip_id=6734) - [WEKU: Lexington approves Haley Pike solar farm lease after delays](https://www.weku.org/lexington-richmond/2026-03-28/lexington-approves-haley-pike-solar-farm-lease-after-delays) - [WKYT: Lexington Model Airplane Club fights to keep its airfield from solar development](https://www.wkyt.com/2026/03/13/lexington-model-airplane-club-fights-keep-its-airfield-solar-development/) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from LFUCG Meeting Minutes, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://lfucg.granicus.com/MinutesViewer.php?view_id=4&clip_id=6734.