Neighbor is exploring leasing for a solar field

[trophy8]

I pulled that figure from an ad in Livestock Weekly, a very large weekly publication for news impacting southwestern livestock producers.

Grazing - $10/ acre x 150 acres = $1,500 / year
Farming - $35 / acre x 150 acres = $5,250 / year
Solar - $100 / acre x 150 acres = $15,000 / year

These are very real average payments for leases in Milam County. The lease numbers just came out about 3 months ago.

I wished I had known about the Commissioners meeting today. I would have made plans to attend, but I can still contact him. BTW - Waffles, Don Sheffield was forced to resign when he committed a felony by stealing his ex-wife's money from her account. Because she was over 65 it had the elder abuse tacked on.

And do you lose the AG exemption since you don’t have cattle on it? Just not enough price difference to lose 150 acres. That’s a lot of land to be worthless for a measly 15k a year

[trophy8]

Maybe you are, but every hunter I know is, like me, buying land for hunting. And as you may have inferred from the OP's post, having a development built next door is an unacceptable annoyance. In many cases it is more than annoyance because it actually devalues your land and it its usability. Especially for quality hunting management.

Your assertion that people would "go broke with [my] plan pretty fast. And then the developers would still get their land LOL" has no logical standing. Not only have I put smaller tracts back together, permanently bound adjoining properties, permanently added to blocks of prime deer habitat that can't ever be developed, and increased hunting management quality, but I also made significant money on doing so.

The extra step of organizing and coordinating purchases is the only way hunters are going to prevent having their first or second biggest investment ruined.

Hate to break it to you. Hunting land is much cheaper than prime commercial or residential real estate. What you pay and what a developer pays are two totally different things.

So you put properties back together. And made money by selling them? And who’s to say a developer didn’t buy it and your goal is shot. The ONLY way to guarantee what happens to that property is own it yourself. You can’t call it a success just because it hasn’t happened yet. You don’t own it then you have no control. That’s what I meant about going broke. Buying and holding.

And why won’t you answer my first question? How long ago did you move here?

[Muddy Bud]

It’s a stretch but do you have any of these critters in your area.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/wildlife_diversity/nongame/listed-species/amphibians-reptiles.phtml

[ThisLadyHunts]

Maybe get the tree huggers and bunny fornicators involved. They don't like losing habitat for their token animals causing them to starve and die.

Hah! He said bunny fornicators...

[ThisLadyHunts]

Here's the part that really gets me -

The only way these solar companies can afford this is with government subsidies. So they are taking more and more of our money to subsidize non-efficient businesses and run the free market out of business. There is no way a farmer (or any other private business) can compete against a heavily subsidized business that has nearly unlimited government funds. These subsidies will never stop.

I want my money back.

This, exactly!

It's part of the overall "agenda." And just like recycling programs and electric vehicles, solar and wind technology will always have to be government backed or supported because none of these programs is sustainable on its own in an open market economy. It slays me that people don't see this!!

[ThisLadyHunts]

It’s a stretch but do you have any of these critters in your area.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild...reptiles.phtml

I like the way you think!

Tracey, I'd be happy to rustle up a few salamanders reticulated geckos that are proliferate here in Austin. I don't know that I've seen many myself, but they must be here as they have negatively influenced many a development project in their day.

[Nova]

You would think they could use the roof tops of some of those industrial warehouses. Some of those things are 15-20 acres under roof. That ground is already lost to conservation so it wouldn't be another net loss.

[RR 314]

I am puzzled a bit as to why these companies are leasing the land rather than purchasing. There must be some tax advantage to leasing as compared to owning; however, sure seems like lease costs surpass present market value of the land during the term of the lease.

[BrianL]

https://goo.gl/maps/FiDNvwSSdVazMZ297

Close to 20000 acres in Lamar and Red River and still growing.....

[trophy8]

You would think they could use the roof tops of some of those industrial warehouses. Some of those things are 15-20 acres under roof. That ground is already lost to conservation so it wouldn't be another net loss.

Good point. I just wonder if the roofs can handle the load. Those things can’t be very light

[doright]

If you lease the land will it then become commercial property and be taxed as such? If so then you would loose whatever ag exemption you had and the property would be reevaluated and taxed accordingly.

[breederbuck33]

Our Concho county place is being surrounded by them. They paid our land owner like 500K just to run a cable from one property to the other.

[eastover53]

Here's the part that really gets me -

The only way these solar companies can afford this is with government subsidies. So they are taking more and more of our money to subsidize non-efficient businesses and run the free market out of business. There is no way a farmer (or any other private business) can compete against a heavily subsidized business that has nearly unlimited government funds. These subsidies will never stop.

I want my money back.

Uncle Sam throws money at the farmer too. Billions every year.

Government subsidized money is the only way many farmers can survive.


Food for thought.

[camoclad]

I am puzzled a bit as to why these companies are leasing the land rather than purchasing. There must be some tax advantage to leasing as compared to owning; however, sure seems like lease costs surpass present market value of the land during the term of the lease.

Tight margins and highly subsidized. Could never do it if you had to buy the land. Remember, this is forced conversion. Fossil fuel is obviously the cheaper, more efficient, more resource friendly option and will be until a entrepreneur comes up with a better energy storage solution. Solar is for the most part a fantasy but one that will be indulged in. Brandon says your welcome citizens. Can't blame the landowners. One told me it's changed their family "generationaly". Good on them.

[Dusty Britches]

Uncle Sam throws money at the farmer too. Billions every year.

Government subsidized money is the only way many farmers can survive.


Food for thought.

You are wrong on that, but this thread is not for that discussion.