Public urges agricultural protections and small-scale exemptions as Bluff reviews renewable-energy rules

Planning and Zoning and staff presented a draft renewable-energy ordinance that would set parameters for rooftop and ground-mounted solar, small wind and geothermal projects in Bluff. Staff said the ordinance was developed with input from SolSmart and includes charts describing where and at what scale different renewable systems would be permitted. The draft is intended to allow household-sized systems and planned community-scale projects while identifying locations and standards for larger installations.

During public comment, Josh Ewing — who said he works in clean-energy professionally — expressed overall support and proposed several substantive edits: include explicit language requiring minimal soil disturbance to protect agricultural lands and grazing soils from irreversible grading; exempt very small systems from permitting requirements (he suggested a threshold such as 1,200 watts, noting recent state law exemptions); and explicitly exclude industrial-scale renewable development on Bears Ears National Monument lands (or lands associated with it), because the town does not have authority to industrialize federally managed monument lands.

Ewing also recommended additional clarity in the conditional-use provisions, especially for projects on slopes and fragile soils, and more examples to help town staff and applicants interpret requirements consistently.

Staff and the commission said the draft remains in public hearing while they collect feedback and legal review continues; written comments are due by 5 p.m. Nov. 7, 2025.