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Brown County Planning Commission to consult Hiawatha, Horton and Sabetha before drafting commercial and industrial solar zoning
Summary
The commission agreed April 2 to interview the three nearby cities about their three-mile jurisdictions and zoning maps before drafting county commercial/industrial solar rules; interviews will be scheduled for the May meeting and letters will be sent to each city.
At its April 2, 2024 meeting the Brown County Planning Commission agreed to seek input from the cities of Hiawatha, Horton and Sabetha before it drafts county zoning for commercial and industrial solar.
Patrick Hughes, who connected to the meeting by Zoom, recommended that the commission interview each city to determine its position regarding county zoning within their three-mile jurisdiction, review current zoning and maps for the three-mile areas, and hear city recommendations. Hughes said the commission should compile the cities’ recommendations and then present a single recommendation to the Brown County Commission for a decision before drafting county zoning for commercial and industrial solar.
William Vonderschmidt, chairman of the commission, said he would draft the outreach letters and coordinate with the County Clerk to send them to the three cities. The commission agreed to hold the interviews at its May meeting and to allot 30 minutes for each city to present.
The minutes record that there was no meeting on March 5, 2025 due to weather; that date appears inconsistent with the April 2, 2024 meeting header in these minutes and is noted here as recorded in the meeting text. No new business or announcements were recorded. Rex Lockwood moved to adjourn; Clif Heiniger seconded, and the meeting adjourned at 9:20 a.m.
The commission did not take formal votes or adopt zoning language at this meeting; the recorded next step is outreach to the three cities and receipt of a decision from the Brown County Commission before drafting zoning language.
