Council Seeks Clarification on Solar Ordinance Process After Law Change

Council members asked for clarification about the procedural path for proposed changes to a solar ordinance. The question centered on whether the changes must return to the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) after a third reading. A council member asked whether the measure was now at the stage requiring a third reading and whether it would return to the BZA. The county attorney (speaking at the meeting) said that since a law change on July 1, the ordinance "does not have to go back" to the plan board in the same circumstances as before; municipal procedure depends on whether amendments were made at that point. The attorney said if the commission had already made certain amendments earlier, the prior rules would have required sending it back to the commission, but the change taking effect July 1 removed that requirement for amendments in some cases. Council members noted they were not present at a prior meeting when the matter was discussed. Staff clarified that the council’s role is separate from the BZA except for abatements. The discussion recorded no formal motion or vote; it focused on next steps and on coordinating between the commission, the BZA, and county staff if further changes are recommended.