Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning And Energy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents push petition for limited zoning as county hears concerns about wind and solar contracts
Summary
Speakers at the Bourbon County Commission meeting urged limited zoning to improve contract terms and tax returns from wind and solar projects; petitioners say they are gathering 621 signatures to put the measure on the ballot and county officials said procedural and staffing questions remain.
Mary Pemberton urged the Bourbon County Commission to consider a limited zoning framework she said would protect residents and strengthen the county’s leverage when negotiating wind and solar contracts. "We cannot expect or hope current or future commissioners to negotiate wind and solar contracts," Pemberton said during public comment, arguing that only zoning would ensure protective provisions and fair compensation.
Pemberton told the commission she does not seek broad restrictions on residential or agricultural property but wants limited zoning that would require special-use permits for a small set of potentially impactful land uses. She also raised tax and compensation concerns, saying federal and state incentives substantially lower developers’ local tax bills and giving an example she attributed to Hinton Creek Solar: "that if they had to pay property taxes like the rest of us, Hinton Creek Solar would be paying the county over 30,000,000 in taxes the first year rather than the 900,000 that the county agreed to as a donation when they signed the contract." (Statement from Mary Pemberton.)
A separate speaker identified in the record as Michael said citizens are gathering signatures for a petition to place a limited-zoning measure on the ballot. "We're required to get 621 signatures, which is 5% of the registered voters," he said, and added his goal is to qualify the measure for the November ballot so the county would not pay for a special election. County staff explained the signature threshold is calculated from the number of registered voters certified at the last state election and described constraints around removing inactive registrations.
Several commissioners voiced cautions about costs and scope. Commissioners noted that drafting and enforcing zoning requires a comprehensive plan and staff time, and could add to county expenditures. One commissioner said parts of the state’s tax treatment for renewable projects are set by earlier state policies and that the county has limited ability to change abatement rules.
Why it matters: Petition proponents say limited zoning would give the county stronger leverage in negotiating contracts and protect residents from potential negative impacts. Opponents warn of the expense and of zoning growing beyond its intended limits without clear guardrails.
What happens next: Petition organizers said they will continue gathering signatures and aim to submit the required number before the August deadline; commissioners said the topic will require additional study and community meetings before the county would adopt any zoning ordinance.
