Tippecanoe County commissioners approve first reading of one-year moratorium on large-scale solar projects

The Tippecanoe County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 on first reading June 2 to impose a one-year moratorium on the siting, construction, permitting and deployment of large-scale solar energy systems in unincorporated areas of the county.

County legal counsel outlined the ordinance’s scope and rationale. Douglas (Doug) told the board the draft tracks a new state provision — “11:9.5 effective 07/01/2025” — and limits the moratorium to large-scale systems, which the county’s zoning defines as installations of roughly 10 acres or more used to sell generated electricity. He said the pause is intended to give the county time to address concerns including construction impacts on infrastructure, drainage and decommissioning plans. “This only applies to unincorporated Tippecanoe County,” Doug said during the presentation, adding…