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Commissioners send draft ADU, data center and solar ordinances to Planning & Zoning
Summary
Washington County commissioners directed staff to release draft ordinances on accessory dwelling units, data centers and commercial solar to the Planning & Zoning Commission for review, asking for clarifications on ADU size limits, groundwater protections for data centers and safeguards for irrigated farmland.
Washington County commissioners on June 15 directed the county planning office to release draft ordinances on accessory dwelling units (ADUs), data centers and commercial solar and forward them to the Planning & Zoning Commission for review and public hearing.
Planning and Zoning Administrator Bridget Felmley presented the three draft ordinances and told the board they would be on the P&Z agenda the following evening. Commissioners debated details including an ADU floor-area minimum of 600 square feet, whether to cap ADUs by a fixed maximum, and provisions allowing an accessory building to become the primary residence in some circumstances.
Commissioner Nate Marvin said he favored a square-foot cap "maybe 1,500 or 1600" for ADUs so they remain accessory structures; Commissioner Gordon Wilkerson noted the draft already bars ADUs from exceeding the primary residence’s floor area. Felmley emphasized the drafts are preliminary and will return after P&Z review and a public hearing.
The board spent more time on the draft data center ordinance, discussing whether language about groundwater impact should use the stronger phrasing "shall not result in a measurable adverse impact" or the existing "may" construction; whether to set a minimum parcel size (the draft lists 100 acres) and whether to limit average electrical demand (the draft caps average demand at 25 megawatts without specific board approval). Wilkerson urged adopting a protective ordinance quickly, saying the county needs "something on the books now" to guard against large data-center proposals.
On solar, commissioners debated exemptions for small residential systems and prohibitions against commercial solar on A-1 irrigated agricultural land. Felmley and Prosecuting Attorney True Pearce said the drafts aim to prohibit commercial solar on prime irrigated farmland while leaving ordinary farm-operations’ choices intact.
Harberd asked that draft language explicitly consider setbacks from schools and parks; the board agreed to direct Felmley to release the drafts publicly and send them to P&Z for formal review and public comment.
The drafts will be considered first by the Planning & Zoning Commission and then returned to the board for further direction or to set public hearing dates.
