BOARD OF SUPERVISORS - LAND USE, September 16, 2026

What happened

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved the Starlight Solar Major Use Permit (item 5) in Boulevard on a 5-0 vote, authorizing a ~100 MW solar and 868 MWh battery energy storage facility on land owned by the Hagen family, over overwhelming community opposition (160 of 1…

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Starlight Solar Major Use Permit in Boulevard

Board approved the Starlight Solar Project, a solar energy generation and storage facility in the community of Boulevard (Mountain Empire sub-regional planning area, ~1 mile south of I-8), on land owned by the Hagen family. Project: Phase 1 - 125 acres, 20 MW solar, 17 MW battery; Phase 2 - 375 acres, ~64 MW solar, 200 MW battery (868 MWh total BESS). Includes 448-acre biological open space easement, 150-ft wildlife corridor, community benefit package (~$1M phase 1, ~$7M phase 2). Board certified the EIR with a statement of overriding considerations (significant unavoidable visual impacts). Phase 2 batteries left in northern EIR location per applicant request. Vote 5-0.

• baseline groundwater monitoring and testing of both quality and quantity prior to construction with further testing should a fire occur, and applicant to work with state/federal agencies to remediate contamination or unanticipated depletion
• impermeable water retention/containment basin beneath the BESS units
• locate phase two BESS as far south as feasible (per Planning Commission; not adopted - batteries left in north)
• additional onsite dust monitoring
• community benefit ~$1M phase 1 and ~$7M phase 2 paid prior to grading permit/before phase 2 construction
• require developer to pursue the Disadvantaged Communities Green Tariffs Program through San Diego Community Power
• fire protection and mitigation agreement
• decommissioning plan and bonded agreement
• defend and indemnify agreement in amount of $1,250,000

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Meeting Summary

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved the Starlight Solar Major Use Permit (item 5) in Boulevard on a 5-0 vote, authorizing a ~100 MW solar and 868 MWh battery energy storage facility on land owned by the Hagen family, over overwhelming community opposition (160 of 1…

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Development Activity (1)

Market Signals (6)

Meeting audio

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