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Commission discusses draft renewable-energy and energy-storage rules; staff pauses ordinance proposal after public concerns
Summary
Lyon County commissioners reviewed a draft ordinance on May 15 that would change setbacks and performance standards for wind, solar and geothermal projects and create new rules to permit and regulate commercial energy storage systems, but they did not adopt the draft and directed staff to revise it after public comments and commissioner questions.
Lyon County commissioners reviewed a staff-drafted, multi-section ordinance on May 15 that would amend the county land-use code to add or revise standards for wind, solar and geothermal projects and to allow commercial energy storage systems under conditional use permits with new siting, fire-safety and decommissioning rules.
The draft would: change setback rules (e.g., half-mile and one-mile setbacks from certain resources depending on project type), require road-impact studies for construction and operation, revise drainage and fire-protection requirements, add visual-impact and screening standards, and create a new decommissioning and reclamation framework that requires periodic cost re-evaluation and financial assurance for removal and disposal of panels, batteries and equipment. The ordinance also proposes a new definition and a land-use table for commercial energy storage systems (ESS), including specific provisions for lithium-ion battery installations.
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