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Crawford County resident asks commissioners for one-year extension of wind and solar moratorium; staff to consult consultant and zoning
Summary
A resident representing the Coalition Against Wind and Solar asked Crawford County commissioners to extend the countymoratorium on wind and solar development by one year because draft regulations are incomplete; commissioners said staff would consult their consultant and the zoning administrator and aim for a possible decision by Dec. 5.
Ray Huff, a Crawford County resident speaking on behalf of the Coalition Against Wind and Solar, asked the Crawford County Commission to approve a one-year extension of the countymoratorium on wind and solar development, saying the countyregulations have not been completed and more time is needed to "get this right." "We would like to ask for another full year extension, in light of the fact that the regs have not been completed," Huff said during the public-comment portion of the meeting.
Commissioners responded by describing the procedural steps needed to extend the moratorium. One commissioner said the extension would need to be enacted by a Home Rule resolution and emphasized that the moratorium must be specific enough to defend against legal challenge: "In my opinion, you have to have a reason to have the moratorium," the commissioner said, adding that the county should tie the moratorium to the comprehensive-plan and regulatory process.
Staff and commissioners agreed to consult their planning consultant (referred to in the meeting as Josh) and the county zoning administrator, May Smith, to confirm timing and whether a Home Rule resolution could be prepared in time. Commissioners discussed aiming for the Dec. 5 meeting as a possible date to present a draft resolution or update: one commissioner said, "By December 5, I assume we could" have a resolution drafted after talking with the consultant.
The commissioners also discussed the scope of the moratorium. Some commissioners noted the existing moratorium targets wind and solar and does not automatically cover battery storage devices; others said specific items should be targeted so the moratorium is defensible.
No formal vote to extend the moratorium was recorded in the transcript. The commission directed staff to consult the consultant and zoning administrator, prepare a draft Home Rule resolution if appropriate, and return with a recommendation for the next meeting.
Next steps: staff was asked to report back after consulting the consultant and zoning staff; commissioners signaled a possible Dec. 5 agenda item to consider a formal extension.
