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…

Free sample: decision 1 of 3

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

The other decisions are listed below by title. The full write-up, verbatim conditions, and the audio at each vote are in Pro.

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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Key Decisions (3)

Development Activity (1)

Market Signals (6)

Who Spoke (20)

ZoneWire called 1 of 1 land-use forecast on this agenda.

This season: 5 of 6 (83%) forecasts called in this county.

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