Dodge County pauses processing of solar applications, tables Sawmill Junction hearing

The Dodge County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Aug. 18 to stop processing new solar applications while the county reviews and amends its solar ordinance.

Commissioner Jeffrey Jones moved to stop taking solar applications; after counsel recommended clarifying the motion language, Jones amended it to "stop processing solar applications until the current solar ordinance can be reviewed and amended in a work session." Commissioner Leigh Ann Greene seconded, and all commissioners voted in favor.

The board also tabled the agenda item for the Sawmill Junction solar project (Application #2), removing an immediate public hearing on that specific proposal from the agenda and leaving the project's next steps for a future meeting.

During the public-comment portion of the meeting, Howard Warnock told commissioners he was concerned about solar farms entering Dodge County and said the county should amend its ordinance to address those concerns. Wallace Mullis distributed a map of the Sawmill Junction site and asked the board and county manager to confirm the project's location and clarify provisions in the county ordinance.

County officials did not adopt specific ordinance language at the meeting. The board directed staff to schedule a work session to review the solar ordinance, a procedural step that will determine whether the county pauses processing applications only temporarily or until specific ordinance changes are adopted.

The action reflects growing local scrutiny of utility-scale solar in Dodge County after several citizens raised concerns during the meeting; the board's procedural pause ensures no pending applications will advance while the ordinance review is completed.