The approval of the conditional use permit of Ecoplexus Solar Solutions came less than a week after the city's planning board OK'd the project.

Council added conditions recommended by the planning board to the permit — a decommission plan that must be submitted to the register of deeds office as well as one for routine maintenance of the grounds.

Other stipulations recommended earlier by planning staff included the project be developed in accordance with guidelines the city adopted on solar and wind farms; additional detailed drawings and building plans be submitted and required screening between land uses be installed before a certificate of occupancy is issued.

Nathan Rogers, project development manager of the San Francisco-based company, told council the firm has 50 completed projects and has completed three projects in North Carolina. They are looking at building a total of six projects in the state.

He explained the American Legion Road project would be a 26mw facility on 70 acres of the approximately 124-acre site, which was in foreclosure.

No one spoke against the project during a public hearing on the conditional use permit.

David Harvey, president of the Halifax County Chapter of the NAACP, did implore the company to consider bids of minority-owned firms during the construction phase of the project, to which Rogers said he would.

Rogers also told Harvey while the company would ideally like to begin construction of the project in the fall, the project could actually get under way in the spring.

In another matter this evening, council approved a rezoning request of of .31 acres of land at 100 Wedgewood Drive from commercial to residential. The intended use of the property is for residential purposes.