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Bellefontaine council holds packed hearing on proposed solar zoning; residents urge bonding, oppose annexation
Summary
At a special hearing, city staff explained a Planning Commission recommendation to add Chapter 11.66 to the zoning code to regulate nonresidential solar as a conditional use in M-2 zones. Dozens of residents raised environmental, decommissioning and annexation concerns; council expects formal legislation on a future agenda.
A special hearing of the Bellefontaine City Council devoted to a Planning Commission recommendation on solar zoning drew more than two dozen public speakers on the city’s proposed Chapter 11.66, which would add rules for principal (nonresidential) solar projects.
City engineer and chief zoning officer Mister Bischoff told the hearing the current code contains no rules for principal solar. “Our current zoning code right now does not address anything whatsoever of principal solar,” he said, explaining the Planning Commission adapted regional model language to treat large solar as a conditional use limited to M-2 (manufacturing) zones and to add setbacks, screening, fencing and maximum land-coverage limits.
Why it matters: Residents framed the discussion less around tonight’s draft…
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