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Starke County commissioners forward multiple Plan Commission resolutions including new solar and battery rules
Summary
The board approved several plan commission resolutions—aligning residential permit review with state law, lifting a moratorium with a new solar ordinance timed for July 25, and adopting a battery storage ordinance with large setback and emergency fund requirements—while sending a fence amendment back to the Plan Commission for wording changes.
Starke County commissioners on June 3 considered a package of Planning Commission resolutions that would reshape local permit-review procedures and zoning rules for energy projects.
The board approved Resolution 2026-PC-07 to align the county’s residential permit and inspection process with recent Indiana code changes that allow builders to hire private inspectors and plan reviewers for qualifying residential structures. The resolution sets a permit-fee breakdown (50% inspections, 30% plan review, 20% administration), establishes a 12-day total review timeline (three days to confirm completeness, seven days to approve or deny), and creates a non-reverting Plan Commission fund for those fees. Staff cautioned that builders using private reviewers must submit inspection reports to the county to obtain a certificate of occupancy.
Commissioners approved a 12-month temporary moratorium resolution, 2026-PC-09, that pauses submission and approval of applications for carbon-capture and sequestration facilities so the county can draft appropriate ordinances.
On renewable energy, the board approved a major rewrite of the commercial solar ordinance (Resolution 2026-PC-10). Staff said the 60-page ordinance will take effect July 25, when the current moratorium expires, and requires interdepartmental input and road-use and emergency-management agreements; staff noted those agreements may be amended later and applicants may seek variances or appeal through the Board of Zoning Appeals.
The board also approved Resolution 2026-PC-11, a new ordinance for commercial battery energy storage systems that includes strict 2,000-foot setbacks from nonparticipating property lines, dwellings, waterways and roads; mandatory fire prevention and suppression plans; continuous thermal monitoring; and an initial deposit into an emergency response fund ($250,000 at permit start plus a separate annual deposit requirement and 3% yearly inflation adjustment). Commissioners discussed that the emergency-response fund must be spent within 12 months and that the commissioners will determine departmental allocations for spending.
One item was returned to the Plan Commission: the proposed amendment to the fence ordinance (2026-PC-08). Commissioners debated whether the county should restrict certain materials and whether enforcement would be practical; members asked the Plan Commission to refine the ordinance language on “authorized fencing material” before resubmission.
All Plan Commission resolutions presented were carried by voice vote during the meeting; the transcript did not include formal roll-call tallies in each case. Staff and commissioners noted some ordinance elements (road-use agreements, emergency-management agreements, and fee allocations) may be adjusted in future amendments.
