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Bluff reviews renewable‑energy ordinance; commenters urge soil protections and exemptions for small solar
Summary
Planning and Zoning presented a renewable‑energy ordinance and future‑use charts created with SolSmart; commenters recommended language to limit soil disturbance on agricultural land, exempt very small solar installations (suggested ~1,200 watts), and exclude federal lands such as Bears Ears from being identified for large‑scale industrial renewables.
Bluff's Planning and Zoning Commission presented a renewable‑energy ordinance Oct. 28 designed to guide rooftop and ground‑mounted solar, wind and geothermal projects and to align the town with SolSmart technical guidance.
Commissioners said the ordinance and future‑use charts are intended to help the town plan for projects of varying scales while preserving local priorities. "With SolSmart looking over our shoulder and answering questions for us, we put together some charts saying where you can put solar projects, wind projects, geothermal projects," a commissioner said.
Public commenters with renewable‑energy experience praised the draft but urged several clarifications: add protections against excessive soil disturbance on agricultural land, exempt small devices (one commenter suggested the 1,200‑watt threshold used in recent state legislation as an example), provide clearer conditional‑use examples related to slopes and soil types, and explicitly exclude federal lands in Bears Ears National Monument from suggested industrial renewable zones.
Commissioners acknowledged the map and charts are draft and sought more public input before finalizing the general plan and ordinance language. No ordinance vote was taken.
