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Sumter County grants second reading to stricter solar‑farm rules, sets 200‑ft setbacks and 125% decommissioning surety
Summary
After a public hearing with farmers and Shaw AFB, Sumter County Council on Nov. 28 granted second reading to OA‑23‑01, which tightens rules for primary photovoltaic systems: special‑exception review, 200‑ft setbacks, 50‑ft evergreen buffers, pollinator‑friendly groundcover standards and a required decommissioning surety equal to 125% of removal costs.
Sumter County Council voted unanimously on Nov. 28 to grant second reading to OA‑23‑01, an amendment to the county’s zoning ordinance that adds and tightens standards for large‑scale photovoltaic solar energy systems.
Planning Director Helen Roodman briefed council on the proposed changes, which would treat primary (ground‑mounted) photovoltaic solar facilities as special‑exception uses in the Agricultural Conservation, Conservation Preservation, Light Industrial‑Warehouse and Heavy Industrial zoning districts. The ordinance as presented would require a 200‑foot setback from all property lines, a minimum 50‑foot evergreen buffer along road rights‑of‑way and where sites abut residential…
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