Johnstown Town Council approves solar energy facility

JOHNSTOWN — The town council this week approved a use by special review and subdivision plat for SunCatcher, a solar energy facility that will be located on 44 acres at the southwest corner of Telep Avenue and Weld County Road 46.

The facility, which will be developed by Denver-based Pivot Energy, will consist of 17,000 to 20,000 solar panels. The project is planned to be developed in two phases, with 26 acres being built in the first phase and 18 acres in the second.

Kyle Sundman, director of project development for Pivot Energy, said the energy generated by the solar farm will be sent to the Xcel Energy grid, then distributed to any Johnstown-area customers who have signed up for the town’s community solar program. 

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The solar panels will be single-axis trackers, meaning they will start the day facing east and follow the sun as it traverses west. The panels will be eight feet tall at their apex. 

Sundman said the panels will be tall enough to allow for livestock grazing as a secondary use for the land. 

Pivot has developed similar projects for numerous other Colorado municipalities, including Denver, Breckenridge and Jefferson County.

During the same meeting, the town council also approved the subdivision plat for Ledge Rock Center East, a portion of the 237-acre master-planned community at Colorado Highway 60 and Interstate 25 that at full buildout is planned to include 750,000 square feet of commercial space and nearly 1,200 residential units. 

The plat approved by the council this week consists of 155 acres south of Highway 60 and east of High Plains Boulevard and features eight commercial lots. Tenants on board for Ledge Rock Center so far include Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Supply, Starbucks and Boot Barn.