Published on August 11, 2026 10:39 pm
Last Updated on August 11, 2026 10:39 pm
A four-hour meeting of the Effingham City Plan Commission Tuesday night chiefly addressed the pros and cons of a solar field near Dutch Lane, but the discussion is not over.
Testimony from representatives of Sole Source Power and from residents of the area around the site involved noise, dust, runoff, and any impact on surrounding property owners. We will have more on the hearing in subsequent newscasts, but the Commission will continue discussion of the proposal at a special meeting at 6pm on August 25. Also, a video replay of the hearing from last night should be up on the City’s website later Wednesday.
In the meantime, the Commission approved a site plan of a Scooters Coffee business at 611 West Fayette Avenue. The 669-square-foot facility will have seven parking spaces.
The Commission also approved a site plan of an expanded Fox Holler Coffee facility at 1200 South Banker Street. City Engineer Luke Thoele said there are plans to add onto the northeast corner of the building, a total of 5,268-square-feet. Thoele said there are plans to rearrange the building to add a kitchen and sit-down dining, along with 28 parking spaces.
Commission members recommended the City Council rezone land owned by Stacey Durbin along South US Route 45 from general commercial district to light industrial district.
The other item on the agenda…a scheduled continued discussion of a special use permit for the Oxford House Volta at 1004 West Virginia Avenue…was continued by joint agreement of the City and Oxford House until the September meeting.
