VALLEY OF THE MOON SOLAR PROJECT FOCUS OF HEARING

A proposed 750 kilowatt solar panel project for the Sonoma County juvenile justice campus in the Valley of the Moon will be the topic of public meeting Tuesday.

The project would add to a $4.6 million, 750 kilowatt system of 3,750 rooftop and ground-mounted panels at the Los Guilicos campus off Highway 12.

The existing project provides about half the power needs for the site, which includes the juvenile justice center, the Valley of the Moon Children's Home, the Sierra Youth Center for girls and other buildings.

The combined 3-acre, 1.5 megawatt project -- equivalent to the power needs of about 1,000 homes -- is expected to meet 100 percent of the campus' electricity demand.

The new project calls for ground-mounted panels located 500 feet from Highway 12 but screened from the roadway by a landscaped berm and green fence.

If approved, construction would begin this summer and be completed in the fall.

The Tuesday meeting is from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the juvenile justice center, classroom A, 7425 Rancho Los Guilicos Road, Santa Rosa.

You can reach Staff Writer Brett Wilkison at 521-5295 or brett.wilkison@pressdemocrat.com.