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Planning commission schedules June public hearing on utility-scale solar zoning amendments
Summary
The Charlotte County Planning Commission unanimously set a June 22 public hearing on proposed utility-scale solar zoning amendments after staff urged further public comment; commissioners and citizens debated mapping, buffers and how much project detail applicants must provide.
The Charlotte County Planning Commission voted unanimously May 25 to hold a public hearing on proposed zoning amendments for utility-scale solar on June 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Staff told commissioners the next step in updating zoning rules for utility-scale solar was either a joint hearing with the Board of Supervisors or separate hearings; staff recommended the Planning Commission hold its own public hearing to gather additional public comment before making a recommendation to the Board. David Watkins moved to set the hearing and Kenny Howard seconded; the motion carried with all members present voting yes.
Why it matters: Commissioners and residents said the county needs clearer rules on buffers and setbacks to protect neighboring landowners and better project mapping to understand where large projects would sit in relation to homes and parcels. Commissioner Kay Pierantoni distributed comments from her May Board of Supervisors presentation and said she hopes “buffers and setbacks would be adjusted to help protect landowners in close proximity to utility-scale solar projects.”
At the meeting, citizens and commissioners raised questions about Randolph Solar, a large proposed development. Chairman Andrew Carwile said the figures on a citizen-provided map showed roughly “78.2% of the acreage” of the mapped parcels. Francis Hodsoll of SolUnesco, the developer group referenced, told the commission the map’s footprint was largely accurate but said providing project maps and discussing Randolph Solar before a formal application was submitted was “problematic.”
Staff emphasized that formal review and more detailed analysis require an actual application, and said the county could either request full-county parcel maps from applicants at pre-application meetings or adopt a zoning amendment that explicitly requires such maps as part of an application.
The hearing will allow residents to speak directly about proposed ordinance changes, including questions about mapping requirements, buffers and setbacks. Staff also said it will report back on the status of the Ridgeway Farm solar project at the next meeting.
The Planning Commission approved routine business earlier in the night, including the meeting agenda and April 27 minutes.
