Residents, historians and local leaders gathered Monday evening at historic Fort Mims to discuss concerns surrounding a proposed 2,900-acre industrial solar development planned for the Tensaw community in northern Baldwin County.

The May 4 meeting, held at the Fort Mims outdoor bleachers, drew an estimated 75 to 80 attendees, according to organizers. Community members discussed possible zoning measures, environmental concerns and the preservation of the area's historical and cultural heritage tied to the proposed Tensaw Solar, LLC project, which is planned to be developed by Walden Renewables.

The proposed site includes land near Boatyard Lake, Pine Log Creek and the Alabama River and borders an area containing Native American burial mounds and archaeological sites recognized by the National Archaeological Database.

Claudia Slaughter Campbell, president of the Fort Mims Restoration Association and a board member of Friends of the Tensaw River, said the meeting was intended to educate residents and encourage discussion about the community's options.

"We were trying to make this an educational meeting, and to get the ideas of everyone and tell them what our options are," Campbell said. "We all agree that our big fight is to stop the industrialization of all these rural areas here in North Baldwin County and especially to protect our delta."

Campbell described Tensaw as a rural community with deep historical roots dating back prior to the War of 1812.

"We love the rural area," she said. "This is what we were born and raised with, and we hope to protect our heritage."

Residents raised questions about zoning regulations and whether Baldwin County should consider restrictions on large industrial developments in rural areas. Campbell said many attendees expressed concern that local and state governments currently lack guidelines addressing utility-scale solar developments.

"The county nor the state, they do not have anything in place to protect us," Campbell said. "Nobody had any idea that solar or data centers or this CO2 pumping — we didn't know that was a possibility."

Several speakers discussed environmental concerns tied to the project, including stormwater runoff, wetland disruption and wildlife migration patterns.

The meeting also highlighted the historical significance of the Tensaw area, which includes landmarks tied to early Alabama settlement, Native American history and the Creek War of 1813-14.

The proposed development site includes land near Fort Peirce, home to what local historians identify as the first public school in Alabama, established in 1799 by John Peirce. The area also contains portions of the historic Federal Road, early plantation sites and archaeological locations associated with Spanish exploration in the Southeast.

Campbell said some residents were frustrated by what they described as a lack of transparency surrounding the project.

"Why didn't we know about it two years ago?" Campbell said. "Why wasn't there transparency?"

The proposed Tensaw development is one of several large-scale solar projects proposed in Baldwin County in recent months. A separate 4,500-acre solar project near Stockton and Rabun, planned by Silicon Ranch, has also generated public opposition and widespread discussion across the region.

Rell Dean, owner of The RiverHouse Workshop and Lodge, spoke about the potential impact the project could have on local businesses and tourism.

"One reason I believe we are so vulnerable is because we have no zoning," Dean said.

Dean previously stated that significant investments had been made in her artist retreat property, which borders the proposed solar site.

"It is a place where people can escape the pressures of urban existence and come and rest in Mother Nature and work on their art," Dean said. "The last thing we want next to our art retreat is an ecological disaster."

Attendees signed contact sheets and discussed future organizing efforts, including support for a possible countywide moratorium on large-scale industrial solar projects while officials study zoning and environmental regulations.

Campbell said residents hope future development decisions will include greater community input.

"I would like for everything to be presented to us and not for us to have to find it out two and a half years later," she said. "We're struggling to even understand what this means to us." 

Gabriella Chavez is a Report for America corps member who writes about growth and development in Baldwin County and our natural spaces for Gulf Coast Media. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://tinyurl.com/yaf8yf5n.