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Westmoreland adopts first solar-energy siting policy, sets setbacks, buffers and decommissioning rules
Summary
The board adopted a county solar policy to guide large-scale projects, specifying setbacks from roads and homes, screening requirements, environmental protections and decommissioning bonds; the policy is advisory but may inform future ordinances.
The Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors on May 12 adopted a county solar-energy policy intended to guide the siting and review of large-scale solar facilities, setting distance standards, screening and vegetative-buffer requirements, environmental protections, decommissioning plans and bonding expectations.
The draft policy applies to utility-scale projects generally defined as sites of 5 megawatts or more or projects occupying 50 acres or greater. Key location and size recommendations in the adopted policy include minimum distances from certain features: 1,000 feet from primary roads; 500 feet from secondary roads; 1,000 feet from historic sites listed at the local, state or national level; 250 feet from nonconsenting property lines; and 1,000 feet from nonparticipating residential dwellings. The policy also proposes a maximum single-facility size of 100 acres.
Environmental and visual standards The policy favors siting on marginal soils as defined by USDA maps and discourages siting on floodplains, wetlands or steep slopes. It requires erosion-and-sediment controls during construction, a 50-foot vegetative buffer of native and other fast-growing trees and shrubs intended to provide year-round screening, and a three-year vegetation-maintenance bond to ensure plantings establish.
Noise, lighting, and decommissioning Inverters and transformers should be located at least 500 feet from nonparticipating property lines; the policy sets a 50 dBA limit at the property line for ongoing operation and a 65 dBA limit for construction noise, and it encourages motion-activated, shielded lighting. Decommissioning plans, including removal of above- and below-ground equipment and revegetation, must be submitted with applications; a surety bond sufficient to fund full decommissioning is required and must be updated every five years. The policy requires decommissioning if a facility ceases operation for a continuous 12-month period.
Process, committee and next steps County staff said the draft was developed by a multi-stakeholder committee that included supervisors, planning commission members, utility representatives and residents. The board made two edits on the floor before adoption: clarifying that screening should be placed close enough to panels to be effective and changing language from "nonparticipating" landowners to "nonconsenting" landowners where setbacks reference residential properties. County staff said the policy is not an ordinance; it provides guidance and could inform zoning code changes in the future.
Votes The board voted unanimously to adopt the policy as amended.
Speakers - County Administrator (presented the draft and committee work) - Members of the solar policy committee (several were thanked; no individual quotes recorded in the final vote)
Clarifying details - Policy applies to projects meeting one or both thresholds: 5 MW or 50 acres. - Proposed one-mile (0.75?) buffer language for certain waters was discussed as carried from other localities; committee recommended avoiding floodplains and wetlands. - Decommissioning surety bond: amount to be set and updated every five years; required removal of all above- and below-ground equipment and revegetation.
Actions [{"kind":"policy","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"solar_policy"},"motion":"Adopt the proposed solar-energy policy for utility-scale projects with board-directed edits (clarify buffer/screen placement and change reference from 'nonparticipating' to 'nonconsenting' landowners)","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[{"member":"Mr. McCormick","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Ms. Henson","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Mr. Trivette","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Mr. Ingram","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Chairman Fisher","vote":"yes"}],"tally":{"yes":5},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Policy provides guidance; not a zoning ordinance; may inform future ordinance development."}]
Ending County staff will publish the adopted policy and use it to guide review of future utility-scale solar proposals; applicants with active applications will compare their proposals to the new guidance and the board said the policy is intended to balance renewable development with preservation of agricultural land, historic resources and rural character.
