St. Joseph County committee advances solar setbacks discussion to full council without recommendation

The Land Use Planning Committee voted to send a council-initiated text amendment on large-scale solar setbacks to the full St. Joseph County Council without a committee recommendation.

Committee discussion focused less on setback distances than on secondary impacts such as drainage, battery storage and long-term decommissioning costs. "One of the really important things here ... is the drainage issue," a committee member said, noting farmers had reported damaged tiles and flooded fields. Area Plan staff confirmed the last text amendment set a 150-foot setback from the property line and a 250-foot setback from panels to a residence, while some council members argued for a uniform 500-foot standard.

Members also asked whether battery storage is governed by the new zoning language. Abby, Area Plan staff, told the committee battery storage is often treated as accessory to the primary solar use in the zoning ordinance but that building and fire codes would apply; she acknowledged many counties are adopting separate battery-storage standards.

On decommissioning, staff said the recently adopted amendment removed a previous $250,000 cap and instead requires a security equal to 100% of the estimated cost of demolition and removal (minus salvage value), based on an estimate by a professional engineer or qualified contractor and benchmarked to CPI. "That's based on the estimate that's provided from the professional engineer or the contractor," staff said when asked whether a dollar figure could be supplied at this stage.

A motion to send the amendment to the full council without a recommendation passed in committee; the item will appear on the full council agenda in two weeks.