Emery County approves general plan update while public pushes for a 180‑day pause on utility-scale solar

The Emery County Commission voted Jan. 20 to approve an updated county general plan and to pursue amendments addressing concerns raised by residents about large-scale solar and battery projects.

During a lengthy public hearing, residents and local stakeholders urged the commission to adopt a temporary land-use regulation (TLUR) — a 180-day pause on new utility-scale solar and battery conditional-use permits — so the county could write permanent standards for siting, reclamation and emergency response. Derry Jukes, who identified himself as a long-time local and organizer of the community group objecting to current rules, told commissioners conditional-use permits had been used to allow ‘‘massive footprints’’ that effectively function like rezoning and can alter neighboring land uses and water distribution. He said the county should develop clear standards before ‘‘irreversible changes’’ occur.

Several speakers raised specific concerns about water, soil and fire risk. Trudy Lund described ongoing dust and property damage she attributes to nearby industrial operations and asked the county to make her whole; the commission discussed mitigation and noted a nearby operator had committed to installing a perimeter fence in April to reduce dust. Utah Farm Bureau representative Jaren Hanson urged the county to protect farmland and called attention to proposed state legislation and incentives that affect solar siting decisions.

Commissioners acknowledged those concerns but said the county must also meet state planning timelines. After debate about whether to table final action, Commissioner Jensen moved to approve the general plan as presented, with an explicit plan to bring back amendments addressing solar-related issues at the next meeting. The motion passed with Commissioners Warwood, Leonard and Jensen recorded as voting "Aye." The commission described the general plan as a ‘‘living document’’ that can be refined through subsequent zoning and ordinance changes.

The hearing also featured testimony from members of local irrigation companies. Jesse Jensen, a Huntington‑Cleveland Irrigation Company board member, warned that utility-scale projects could strain irrigation infrastructure and proposed an impact fee on solar developers to fund system upgrades and prevent water transfers out of the valley.

The commission did not adopt a TLUR or any immediate moratorium at the Jan. 20 meeting. Instead, it approved the general plan and directed staff and commissioners to develop specific regulatory changes and additional public engagement on solar siting, reclamation bonds, fire-safety plans and the use of conditional-use permits.

The next procedural step is to draft and post potential ordinance changes and to schedule public hearings on any county-led zoning or temporary regulation proposals. The commission also asked organizers and affected parties to return with additional documentation and suggested an April check-in for groups seeking extra funding or accommodations tied to the county’s new planning timeline.