Applicant withdraws 2 MW solar CUP; Sawyer County staff proposes ordinance or moratorium

The Sawyer County Zoning Committee accepted the withdrawal of Conditional Use Permit application CUP 25-035 on April 25 after the applicant — Dairyland Power Cooperative, on behalf of landowners Abel and Laura Channing — asked to withdraw the request for a proposed two-megawatt solar facility.

Why it matters: The meeting highlighted public and town-level concerns and prompted staff to recommend that the county consider a moratorium while it drafts a solar-farm ordinance to guide future projects.

What happened: Zoning staff read a letter from Dairyland Power Cooperative stating they were withdrawing the application after review of town planning commission and town board recommendations; staff said a formal lease termination letter would be sent to the Channings and that Dairyland offered to share lessons learned with the county. The zoning staff then recommended that the county consider drafting a solar ordinance and discussed timing for a possible moratorium.

Policy next steps: Staff and legal counsel discussed that a moratorium must be time-limited and tied to a stated purpose; staff suggested six to nine months as a typical timeframe used by other counties to complete ordinance drafting. Staff will prepare draft moratorium language and coordinate with legal counsel for the June meeting; if the zoning committee approves a moratorium, the county board would consider it in July.

Ending: The committee formally accepted the withdrawal; staff will send formal notice to the applicants and begin work with legal counsel on potential moratorium language and a draft solar ordinance for future consideration.