Council approves comprehensive-plan amendment for proposed US Solar site in planning area

The Lennox City Council on Oct. 27 approved an amendment to the city's comprehensive plan to accommodate a planned-development application from US Solar for a site outside city limits but inside the city's planning jurisdiction.

Why it matters: The amendment establishes the parcel's future use as a planned development or commercial designation and signals local support for the county-level review of a proposed utility-scale solar facility. Council members discussed long-term implications for nearby arterial streets, screening and potential future annexation.

City staff said Lincoln County Planning Department requested the city's input after US Solar applied to change zoning from agricultural to a planned development district. Nate summarized the application and said the parcel currently lacks a defined future use on the city's future land use map.

The Lennox Planning Commission recommended approval of the comprehensive-plan amendment on a 4-1 vote. By contrast, the Lincoln County Planning Commission considered the county-level application on Oct. 20 and voted 1-4 to not forward its recommendation to the Lincoln County Commission. Staff also provided an email from US Solar consultant Tina Munson responding to council questions; Munson noted the applicant intends to use sheep grazing inside the fenced area as a vegetation-management measure and offered other details about screening and operations.

Councilmembers raised questions about long-term land use along arterial streets near the parcel and whether a utility-scale energy facility should occupy property that might, over decades, become roadway- or commercial-frontage. One councilmember noted the project's initial term is 25 years with an option to continue, and asked whether city annexation would be required in the future; staff said annexation would not be automatic and would be governed by the city's annexation policies.

Action and outcome The council voted to approve resolution 2025-10-27-02 to amend the comprehensive plan and provide comments on the county process; the motion passed by voice vote. Staff said any future changes at the time of decommissioning or future annexation would be handled through the city's zoning and development processes.

Ending The city will transmit its adopted amendment and comments to Lincoln County as that county continues its review of US Solar's application.