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Hugo council pauses proposal to ban solar farms, asks for joint workshop with planning commission
Summary
After hearing that the Planning Commission recommended denial of a staff-drafted text amendment that would prohibit large-scale solar farms citywide, Hugo's council voted to hold a joint workshop with the Planning Commission and table the ordinance while the committee explores narrower restrictions and siting options.
City staff reviewed a proposed text amendment and recent public hearings on solar farms at the July 15 Hugo City Council meeting, and the council agreed to a joint workshop with the Planning Commission rather than immediately adopting a prohibition.
Max Gort, the city's associate planner, summarized the ordinance history and recent activity: the 2016 ordinance that regulates accessory solar and larger "solar farms," a 2018 IUP approval for a solar farm on 165th Street, 2023 ordinance revisions that raised setbacks and added screening, and a recent moratorium enacted to allow time for review. Gort said the planning commission held a July 11 public hearing on staff's draft text amendment, which included clarified definitions and a proposed citywide prohibition of solar farms; the Planning Commission recommended denial of the prohibition and suggested a joint workshop to explore targeted restrictions and siting alternatives.
During council discussion members said the public hearing had attracted mixed comments and that more conversation—particularly a workshop with the Planning Commission—would help the council weigh options. Mayor White said there was not enough public feedback yet to justify an outright ban and moved to request staff set a workshop date; the council voted in favor. The council then voted to table the proposed text amendment prohibiting solar farms.
Why it matters: the topic affects land use, agricultural property owners and potential renewable-energy projects. City staff repeatedly noted that the draft prohibition would not affect rooftop or on-site systems for private users; it would only target operation-scale solar farms that generate energy for off-site distribution.
Next steps: city staff will coordinate with the Planning Commission to schedule a joint workshop to review alternatives and possibly craft ordinance changes that respond to community concerns about site character, setbacks and screening before any new public hearing or ordinance vote.
