Board schedules public hearings on wind and solar ordinance changes after residents raise concerns

Board members reviewed proposed ordinance changes related to wind and the potential for large-scale solar projects and discussed scheduling public hearings. Speaker 8 said he would "verify with Andy" the ordinance changes and that hearings were planned for the 26th at about 8:30 a.m., though the time was still to be finalized.

Residents and members described turbine noise and visibility across county lines; one speaker said turbines could be heard early in the morning in parts of the county and that red lights were visible from state highways. "We can often hear it...it depends on the wind and the humidity," a participant said when describing turbine noise. Board members discussed the county ordinance process, the required up-front application fee that covers project-specific engineering or legal costs, and the likelihood of a road-use agreement to compensate for heavy equipment transport.

Why it matters: land-use ordinances govern where and how large energy projects are sited and the conditions (road agreements, decommissioning, fees) under which companies operate. Board members expressed interest in ensuring ordinance language is clear and that the public is informed before hearings.

Next steps: staff will have Andy circulate the proposed ordinance drafts again, confirm hearing dates and times, and the board signaled it would hear the ordinance as part of the formal public-hearing process. Members also discussed coordinating outreach and involving other taxing bodies when planning a public listening session about how tax revenues are allocated.