Public hearing Monday on solar reinvestment zone

Stephens County will take the next formal step in reviewing the proposed Crocus Solar project this coming week.

Commissioners are scheduled to hold a public hearing to consider creating a reinvestment zone for the development.

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Monday, Feb. 23 at the Stephens County Annex Building, 222 N. Baylor Ave., and will include time for public comment before commissioners vote on the proposed designation. 

The reinvestment zone is a required precursor to any Chapter 312 tax-abatement agreement and marks the first opportunity for residents to formally speak publicly on the record about the project since Samsung C&T Renewables submitted its formal application in December. At that time, commissioners voted unanimously to accept the application, triggering the statutory review process. 

According to the county’s public hearing notice, the proposed Crocus Solar Reinvestment Zone #1 covers roughly 885 acres southeast of Breckenridge across five parcels owned by Donald R. Atwell, the Dorothy H. England Bypass Trust and Justin D. and Andrea E. Ferreira. The zone would encompass the footprint of the planned 100-megawatt solar facility and its co-located 100-megawatt-hour battery storage system. 

Samsung, operating locally under Crocus Solar, LLC, has said it intends to build, own and operate the project, which carries an estimated $130 million capital investment. That’s according to project manager Charles Jackson and property tax consultant Gerald Byrd, who are representing the company throughout the process. 

The company has previously outlined plans for a single-axis tracker solar array, a battery storage component, a project substation, transmission infrastructure and an operations and maintenance building. Construction could begin as early as late 2026, with commercial operations projected for mid-2028. 

Residents will have the opportunity to speak for or against the zone designation during the hearing. Environmental impacts, groundwater protection, livestock safety and storm-related panel damage were among the concerns raised during earlier meetings. 

The Samsung representatives have said the company is conducting multiple environmental studies, including hydrology, cultural resources and wildlife assessments, and that panels are engineered to stow during severe weather. 

County Judge Michael Roach has previously emphasized that the reinvestment zone and abatement process give the county leverage to negotiate conditions related to setbacks, drainage, road use, screening and fire protection – authority it would not have if the project proceeded without an abatement. 

If commissioners approve the reinvestment zone, a second public hearing will be scheduled to consider the terms of the abatement itself. Both hearings require 30 days’ notice, and the county has said it will publish documents and responses online to maintain transparency.