COLUMBUS, Ind. — The Bartholomew County Commissioners on Monday unanimously approved amendments to a proposed ordinance that will regulate utility-scale solar facilities in the county. The proposed changes will now go back to the plan commission, and if approved, the ordinance becomes law.
“I’ve talked to many, many people in the electric industry, traditional and otherwise: solar is coming. And if a regulated utility decides to put it in, they don’t have to live according to any zoning standards that we put in,” Commissioner Tony London said. “So this is our one and only shot to get this right.”
Prior to the vote, the commissioners once again heard two hours of public testimony. Items discussed included setback distances of the facilities from adjoining properties, property values and rights, the aesthetics of solar facilities, and the potential benefit the solar fields could bring to the county.
Changes to the ordinance that will be reviewed by the plan commission are:
- Equipment height will be changed from 3 feet to 1 foot clearing from the ground
- Take out any wording with regard to parcel size, all parcels will be considered the same
- Variances will be allowed to be made privately between property owners and developers
- Setbacks of a solar field shall be 200 feet from all non-participating property lines with no exceptions, including property separated by roads
- Setbacks of a solar field shall be 500 feet from all non-participating residences with no exceptions unless both property owners sign a waiver
The plan commission plans to meet again on November 9.
