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Planning director: 1,500-foot solar setbacks would largely preclude development on typical parcels
Summary
County planning director Nicole Daley told commissioners a 1,500-foot setback would make small and moderate solar projects infeasible—she found a 236-acre parcel would only yield roughly 1 acre of development under that setback and said 20 acres would require about 2,800 acres.
Nicole Daley, identified as the county planning director, updated commissioners on the planning commission’s solar-focused work and presented setback simulations. "At 1,500 feet from all property lines...to have just 20 acres of solar development, you would have to have 2,800 acres at that setback," Daley said, explaining she tested parcel sizes and will produce aerial exhibits for the planning commission’s upcoming meeting.
Daley said the planning commission plans to continue solar discussions at its next meeting and will release draft ordinances and visual exhibits (showing alternatives such as 500- and 150-foot setbacks) to allow the public and commissioners a review period. She emphasized the materials are preliminary and intended for guidance and public review: "We will...be supplying...some draft ordinances...so that the planning commission and the citizens have a month in between each meeting to review what is put out there."
Commissioners asked for a timeline to complete ordinance drafts; Daley said she may schedule extra working meetings and will ask the planning commission for guidance on priorities and timing. Public speakers and commissioners discussed whether outside presenters on the topic should be scheduled and whether invited experts represented one side or both.
