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Planning commission backs 1,500-acre solar cap; Carroll County supervisors table decision after public hearing
Summary
After a joint public hearing that drew dozens of comments for and against a countywide limit on utility-scale solar, the Carroll County Planning Commission recommended a 1,500-acre cap but the Board of Supervisors voted to table action for more public conversation.
The Carroll County Planning Commission recommended adoption of a solar siting policy that would cap utility-scale solar projects countywide at 1,500 acres, but the Carroll County Board of Supervisors voted to table the proposal after a joint public hearing that drew multiple residents urging a different approach.
The recommendation was delivered to the Board following a joint meeting of the Planning Commission and the Board. The Planning Commission chair called for a recommendation to adopt the policy with a 1,500-acre cap; commissioners voted in favor and one commissioner recorded a dissenting vote during roll call.
Landowner Delilah Brady told the board the county should reject an acreage cap and continue to review projects on a case-by-case basis. “A cap of a thousand acres total ... is not encouraging green energy, and it isn't a reasonable or a responsible policy,” Brady said, arguing that a small cap would unfairly limit opportunities for many property owners and set a precedent for future limits on other land uses.
Resident Debbie Grady also opposed a countywide cap and told the commission and board the county should prioritize basic infrastructure such as water, sewer and high-speed internet before restricting land use options. “Let's not get our cart in front of the horse,” Grady said, urging more investment in infrastructure to help farmers and rural residents develop land.
Planning commissioners and several supervisors said the topic needed more discussion among citizens and stakeholders before the Board adopted a numeric cap. After a short floor discussion, a supervisor moved to table the Board decision; the Board then recorded a roll-call vote to table the item for further outreach.
No formal ordinance or binding regulation was adopted at the meeting. The Planning Commission's recommendation will remain on the record and the Board may bring the item back for action following additional public input or staff recommendations.
What happened next: The Board asked for additional outreach and further conversation among county leaders and stakeholders before taking a final vote on a solar siting policy. The item was tabled pending that additional engagement.
Why it matters: A countywide acreage cap would set a numeric limit on how much land can be used for utility-scale solar across Carroll County, affecting landowners considering leases for solar projects and shaping the county's approach to renewable-energy development and rural land use planning.
