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Council tables proposed 1,200-foot solar setback after residents, climate group push back
Summary
Presque Isle City Council tabled proposed Chapter 16 land‑use changes that would have required a 1,200-foot setback and four rows of trees for new solar farms after residents, the Rustic Climate Group and several councilors said the standard was overly restrictive and would effectively block new projects.
Presque Isle — The City Council on Wednesday opted to table proposed amendments to Chapter 16 of the land‑use and development code that would impose a 1,200‑foot setback from residences and paved roads for new large solar electric generation facilities and require four rows of trees for visual buffering.
Planning Board Chair RP told the council the board recommended the large setback and buffering to protect scenic vistas and neighborhood character, saying the board had received complaints from residents who “don’t want to see them anymore.” “We would like to see it slowed down and hidden and better managed,” RP said during the council discussion.
The proposal drew immediate pushback from residents and advocates. Rob Kip, a local organizer with the Rustic Climate Group, urged the council not to add large mandatory setbacks, calling the 1,200‑foot standard “almost a quarter‑mile” and “unnecessary” given the safety profile of solar panels. “Setbacks need a good reason,” Kip said, noting other Maine towns typically use setbacks in the 50–100 foot range.
Several councilors said the size of the setback as written would make most town parcels ineligible and would effectively prevent local solar projects. One councilor argued that a blanket 1,200‑foot requirement “seems designed to kill solar panels in the city” and said she would not support the ordinance while that provision remained.
Councilors agreed to table the item to give the planning board and stakeholders additional time to craft a revised proposal. The motion to table passed on a voice vote. Council members asked staff to collect peer town ordinances, to clarify distinctions between accessory (small or on‑site) solar uses and large commercial solar farms, and to invite residents to participate in planning board meetings.
Next steps: Council asked staff to share planning‑board contact information and promised to reconvene on revisions; scheduling constraints mean the item may not return until late winter.
