The Mahler Family Solar Project

Project Overview and Partnership

This 5MW Solar Project represents a strategic partnership between EnergyUnited, North Carolina's largest electric cooperative, and Finance for Impact/ICAST LLC to develop a clean energy installation on property managed by the Mahler family. This innovative collaboration will create a 5MW solar installation on 20-30 acres at 5593 Wilkesboro Highway, generating enough renewable energy to power approximately 675-700 local homes while delivering substantial benefits to all local EnergyUnited members.

Help Save a 6th-Generation Family Farm The Mahler family, who have farmed the same land for six generations, are facing an impossible choice. Their 192-acre farm generates only $1,400 in annual income but faces crushing property taxes. Without your help, they may be forced to sell to developers who want to build over a hundred houses without proper planning approval. Present zoning allows for 20,000 sq ft per single-family home, or two homes per acre, which, over the farm's 192 acres, could be a substantial development.

There's a better solution The Mahlers want to lease a small portion of their land for a solar project that will preserve their farm, provide clean energy to the community, and prevent uncontrolled development.

Take Action Today!

CRITICAL DEADLINE: July 15th County Commissioners' Meeting

The Iredell County Commissioners will make the final decision on this project at their meeting on Tuesday, July 15, at 6:00 PM. Your voice can make the difference between preserving this family farm or losing it to development forever.

ACTION 1: Send an Email (Takes 3 Minutes)

Copy and paste this message, add your name, and send it to any Commissioner:

TO: [Choose from emails below] SUBJECT: Please Support the Mahler Family Solar Project

Dear [Commissioner Name],

I'm writing as a local resident to ask for your support of the Mahler family solar project that will be decided at the July 15th County Commissioners meeting.

The Mahlers are a 6th-generation farming family facing an impossible choice - pay crushing property taxes on 192 acres that only generate $1,400 in farm income, or sell to housing developers who will build 100+ houses without any planning or county approval. Their proposed solar project would allow them to keep their family land while providing clean energy benefits to our community.

I urge you to:

Support the Mahler family solar project
Stand up for property rights
Help preserve farmland that serves our community

This is about more than just one family - it's about preserving our agricultural heritage and preventing uncontrolled development. Please vote YES on the Mahler solar project.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely, [Your Name] [Your Address] [Your Phone Number]

Commissioner Email Addresses:

ACTION 2: Make a Phone Call (Takes 2 Minutes)

Choose a commissioner to call:

Clerk to the Board: John Bess - 704-878-3058
Chairman: Bert Connolly - 704-902-2647
Vice-Chairman: Melissa Neader - 704-450-0672
Commissioner: Brad J. Stroud, Sr. - 704-437-0808
Commissioner: Gene Houpe - 704-902-0255
Commissioner: Scottie Brown - 704-437-8382

What to say: "Hi, I'm [Your Name], a local resident. I'm calling to ask you to support the Mahler family solar project. Please stand up for property rights and help preserve farmland that serves our community. Thank you."

ACTION 3: Attend the Meeting

When: Tuesday, July 15th at 6:00 PM

Where: Commissioners' Meeting Room, 2nd Floor, 200 S Center Street, Statesville, NC 28687

Your presence shows commissioners that the community supports preserving family farms. You don't have to speak - just being there makes a powerful statement.

The Triple Win: Family, Community, and Economic Benefits

The Mahler Family Story: The project provides a lifeline for Mahler's, a 6th-generation family facing severe financial hardship on their 192-acre property, which generates only $1,400 in annual income. Rather than selling to housing developers who could build 100+ houses without planning approval, the Mahlers have chosen to use a small portion of their land for this temporary solar project. This decision allows them to preserve their family farm and agricultural heritage while contributing to the community's clean energy needs and avoiding uncontrolled residential development.

Community Benefits and Safety: The project will deliver widespread benefits, including stable energy costs and enhanced grid reliability through local generation. The installation exceeds all protective requirements, featuring 500-foot setbacks from neighboring dwellings, comprehensive flood protection, minimal visual impact through 7-foot maximum height restrictions, and landscape buffers. Additionally, professional safety studies confirm that there are no harmful chemicals, fire, or electromagnetic risks.

Economic and Long-term Impact Beyond supporting the Mahler family's ability to remain on their ancestral land, the project will generate substantial tax revenue over 20 years for schools, roads, and emergency services while creating local construction and permanent jobs in the growing clean energy sector. This initiative demonstrates how property rights, farmland preservation, and clean energy development can work together to benefit both individual farming families and the broader community.

Why This Matters!

Preserve Agricultural Heritage: Keep a 6th-generation farm in the family
Prevent Overdevelopment: Stop 100+ unplanned houses from being built
Support Property Rights: Let landowners decide the best use of their property
Clean Energy Benefits: Lower energy costs for the entire community
Economic Benefits: Generate tax revenue and local jobs

Questions?

Contact Sam Lipman at saml@icastusa.org or 720-749-7422.