Grant County holds first reading of zoning amendments to add solar energy systems, planning commission recommended changes
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Summary
At its Feb. 17 meeting, Grant County Fiscal Court held the first reading of zoning ordinance amendments to add solar energy systems as a conditional use in industrial zones and add performance standards including decommissioning requirements; the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the change and the ordinance will return for further consideration on 03/03/2026.
Grant County Fiscal Court conducted a first reading on Feb. 17, 2026 of two zoning ordinance amendments that would add solar energy systems to the list of conditional uses in industrial zones and add performance standards (Article 15) governing installation, decommissioning and siting.
Judge (presiding) explained the amendments respond to inquiries from out-of-county developers proposing large-scale solar "farms." Court members and planning staff said the amendments are intended to provide clear standards so the county can evaluate proposals and to protect the community where large utility-scale arrays might otherwise seek to locate. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the ordinance changes to the fiscal court.
Judge said the ordinance adds solar energy systems as a conditional use in Industrial 1 and Industrial 2 zones, requires city water and sewer or other minimum infrastructure for permitted industrial locations, and includes a decommissioning section that specifies how a developer must restore or remove equipment at the end of a project’s useful life. Court members noted that because the county currently lacks unincorporated industrial land that meets the ordinance’s requirements, many large-scale projects will face siting constraints under the proposed rules.
Several citizens at public comment asked for more information about who initiated the change and why; a resident asked the court to table the amendment until additional facts are available. Officials responded that the county needs an ordinance in place to set requirements should inquiries proceed, and that any large-scale solar or data center project would require conditional-use review and a public hearing. The judge also said the county plans to address data center regulations in a later phase of planning and zoning changes.
This session was a first reading only; the full ordinance text is available in the judge’s office and the measures are scheduled to return for further consideration at the next fiscal court meeting on March 3, 2026.
