Planning commission recommends comprehensive-plan amendment for 43-acre solar site north of Lenox

The Lenox Planning Commission voted 3-1 to recommend that the city council amend the Lenox Comprehensive Plan to identify a single parcel north of Lenox as planned development to accommodate a proposed 43-acre, 7-megawatt solar farm.

Planning staff told commissioners the application came to Lincoln County's planning department and that the parcel is outside city limits but inside Lenox's planning jurisdiction. "Commissioners, we've been approached by the Lincoln County Planning Department to provide input on the application for a change of zone just outside of our municipal boundaries within our planning jurisdiction," planning staff said, describing the project as "approximately 1 mile north of Lenox" and noting the developer is US Solar.

The commission's recommendation asks the city council to amend the comprehensive-plan land-use map to identify the parcel as planned development so the county and developer can proceed with a zoning application. Planning staff explained that a planned-development (PD) zoning designation is established by a parcel-specific ordinance that lists allowable uses and any conditions the county requires.

Commission discussion focused on long-term land-use implications, visual screening and decommissioning. Commissioners asked whether the PD designation would allow other uses in the future; planning staff replied that the county's ordinance must spell out the permitted uses for that parcel, and that the commission's input can seek restrictions when staff testifies before the Lincoln County Planning Commission. Planning staff described proposed site mitigation measures as including a 7-foot-tall wire fence, tree screening along the northern boundary and "additional tree screening provided along the northern boundary," and said there would be a decommissioning plan required by the lease.

Several commissioners said their primary concern was long-term growth and whether the site, about a mile from Lenox, would become harder to re-purpose if the town expands in coming decades. One commissioner noted setbacks of "138 feet to the east and 207 feet to the north" from adjacent roads and said screening could reduce visual impact. There were no public speakers during the hearing.

Following discussion, a commissioner moved to recommend approval of the proposed amendment to the city council; the motion was seconded and carried 3 to 1. The commission also closed the public hearing at 7:12 p.m.

Discussion (not action) included whether PD status would "sunset" if the solar array were decommissioned and whether the county ordinance could be written to require that any future use be consistent with the commission's direction. Planning staff said the county ordinance likely controls whether a PD designation remains after decommissioning and that the commission's testimony at county hearings can request specific restrictions.

The recommendation to the city council is advisory: the Lenox Planning Commission forwarded the amendment request with its vote; the city council must separately act to change the comprehensive-plan map and formally transmit comments to Lincoln County. Any final development of the parcel requires county zoning action and the parcel-specific PD ordinance described by planning staff.

Clarifying details discussed at the meeting include: the proposed solar project size (43 acres), name of the developer referenced (US Solar), approximate generation capacity (7 megawatts), approximate distance from Lenox (about 1 mile), described perimeter setbacks (138 feet east, 207 feet north), proposed perimeter security (7-foot wire fencing) and proposed tree screening (northern boundary). Decommissioning was discussed as a lease requirement but the meeting did not specify a required decommissioning lifespan (one speaker guessed "50 years or something").