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Delaware County commissioners extend solar moratorium, hear hours of split public comment
Summary
The Delaware County commissioners introduced an ordinance extending a moratorium on utility-scale solar permitting and heard more than an hour of public comment, with speakers sharply divided over economic benefits and local impacts.
The Delaware County Commissioners introduced Ordinance 2025-5 to keep in place a moratorium on acceptance and review of applications for utility-scale solar projects and heard extensive public comment both for and against the projects.
Supporters told commissioners solar can stabilize farm income and expand the local tax base, while opponents warned of drainage, decommissioning and property-value impacts and urged stronger protections or continued delay. Commissioners said they will continue work on ordinance amendments and noted a related Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission hearing scheduled for March 11, 2025.
The moratorium language read into the record says the county’s temporary restrictions on filing or accepting applications for solar projects “shall remain in effect until such time the zoning ordinance is amended and adopted by the board of commissioners or until such time as the moratorium is repealed by the act of the commissioners.” The same statement clarified the moratorium does not bar discussions or information-sharing about proposed projects.
Farmers and local advocates who supported lifting the moratorium said utility solar would provide steady property-tax income and help preserve farmland. “Utility solar is coming in big a big help, property taxes here in the county,” said Dan Barry, who described himself as a lifelong farmer in Delaware County. Christian Hartsell of Renewables Ready (local chapter) said solar is “a viable way for farmers to supplement their farm income and promotes farmland recuperation.”
Other speakers urged caution. Vicky Gasaway described examples she said showed companies had not adequately addressed drainage, liens or long-term responsibility: she cited language from a neighboring county lease that, she said, limited company liability for “known and unknown dangers associated with the normal day to day operation of electrical generating facilities.” Tim Carter, a neighbor to a proposed project, said he and his neighbors had not received adequate information from a developer and asked the county for “transparency, representation, and accountability.”
Public-health concerns also surfaced. Dr. Jonathan Munner, a local physician, argued air-quality and health benefits of shifting away from fossil-fuel generation should weigh in favor of clean-energy projects; he described fine particulate pollution from combustion as a known, measurable health hazard.
Commissioners and staff referenced pending state-level activity and a public evidentiary hearing before the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission on March 11, 2025, on developer petitions touching jurisdictional issues. One commissioner read the IURC notice into the record, noting the hearing will be in Indianapolis and is open to the public.
At the meeting the board’s chair moved to introduce Ordinance 2025-5 for first reading. The motion to introduce was seconded and passed on a roll call with commissioners recorded as voting in favor. The introduction places the proposed ordinance on the record for further review and amendment before any final action.
What’s next: commissioners said the moratorium and the drafted ordinance will remain under review and the board expects further committee work and public input before a final vote. The board did not adopt a final ordinance on Feb. 3; the action at the meeting was introduction for further consideration.
