Pulaski County’s Plan Commission reviewed a lengthy set of proposed text amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) covering commercial solar energy systems (CSES), battery energy storage systems (BESS) and related items including setbacks, fencing, landscaping, decommissioning and road‑use agreements.

Staff walked the commission through tracked changes to Section 7 and related definitions: adding “battery energy storage systems,” swapping the word “chapter” for “ordinance,” and replacing references to a plan administrator with the county building inspector for consistency. Staff also moved detailed decommissioning requirements into a clearer plan outline and said the county attorney adjusted language to remove one reference to a bond and to renumber sections.

On setbacks and fencing, staff proposed a 150‑foot setback and perimeter fencing from property lines and ditches; battery racking and container structures would be limited to 20 feet in height. Commissioners debated whether a 150‑foot standard conflicts with state law minimums, noting state rules often reference a 75‑foot minimum for certain ditch setbacks. Staff said the ordinance can adopt stricter local standards where lawful.

Screening and landscaping changes require evergreens closest to panels and set a minimum height of 6 feet by the start of on‑site energy production. Staff described a visit to a Doral project in another county and warned that permitted native grass plantings near road shoulders could reach seven feet and create sightline and safety hazards, so they recommended focusing on evergreens and limit tall grasses near public roadways.

Developers would be required to show culvert studies and road‑use maps with commercial CSES permit applications; the highway superintendent would have a 20‑business‑day review period for culvert studies and 30 days to review road‑use maps. Staff proposed that an Economic Development Agreement (EDA) be executed prior to building permit issuance, developed with the county economic development director, County Council and Board of Commissioners, and requiring the developer to reimburse any county consultant costs.

Public safety and operational details were repeated as points for further work: emergency response plans, on‑site water and hydrants for fire suppression, weekly construction monitoring reports, traffic control (flaggers and signage), and developer responsibility to repair or stabilize roads used during construction.

During public comment residents urged larger setbacks (one resident recommended 500 feet), asked for caps on large projects and more comparative research on what other counties are doing, and reported local impacts such as nightly worker traffic, litter, and noise. “The current mammoth project is the largest in The United States,” Brandy Larkin said, urging the commission to consider caps and further study. Staff said it has been collecting information from other counties but did not have all comparative charts at the meeting.

The commission tabled the BESS text amendments for further consideration and directed staff to prepare clarified language, cost estimates for third‑party reviews, and comparative ordinance examples from other counties before returning for another meeting.