Spaceport Camden alternative site proposed
Oct. 28—Camden County commissioners will consider potential uses for the former Bayer CropScience property adjacent to the Union Carbide tract planned as the launch site for Spaceport Camden.
During a Camden County Office of Planning and Development meeting Wednesday, board members heard six proposals for the property, two of which were recommended for consideration by commissioners at their meeting Tuesday.
A company called Organic Capital Fund is proposing to repurpose the property and market it as Kings Bay Research Campus to attract high-tech businesses to the site.
Board members made no recommendation on special land use approval for electric power generation other than solar and wind.
County resident Steve Weinkle attended the meeting and asked for more specifics since the alternatives include nuclear, natural gas and coal generated electricity.
"It was very nonspecific," he said.
Weinkle said the presenter was "extremely argumentative" and very non specific.
A second request to use the site for solar electric power generation by placing solar panels on the property was approved by the board. Weinkle said there was no objection to the proposal for a solar field at the site.
Special use application requests were denied to allow solar and wind power generation, semi-conductor and other electronic components manufacturing, and for a commercial heliport pad to support "heavy lift" helicopters.
A request for a special use to allow space research and technology at the site was recommended for approval.
The site is adjacent to the Union Carbide site county commissioners wanted to purchase as the launch site for a spaceport already approved by the Federal Aviation Administration once a launch site had been purchased.
Camden County voters last spring voted by more than 70% to prohibit county officials from spending any more money on the project, which has already cost an estimated $11 million.
Despite the debate by commissioners and criticism directed at spaceport opponents, Weinkle praised the board.
"I thought the meeting was conducted by the board very well," he said. "They did a very good job under very difficult circumstances."
