COLUMBUS, Ind. – The Bartholomew County Commissioners on Monday afternoon approved by a 2-1 vote the first reading of an ordinance that will regulate commercial, utility-scale solar facilities in Bartholomew County. Chairman Carl Lienhoop was the dissenting vote with Larry Kleinhenz and Tony London voting in favor.
The decision came after over two hours of public comment in which opponents and advocates discussed elements of the ordinance such as the decommissioning of land used for solar fields and the setback distance of the solar fields from adjoining properties.
The Columbus Plan Commission recommended its approval, forwarding the ordinance to the county commissioners by a 7-1 vote in August. Although the commissioners approved the ordinance as is on the first reading, changes to the specifications within the ordinance can be made during the second reading and the commissioners signaled that those are likely coming.
The second reading of the ordinance is slated for Monday, October 24.
