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Commission establishes 5,000-acre cap for utility-scale solar and changes code language to 'utility-scale'
Summary
At the June 17 workshop the commission voted to replace 'commercial' with 'utility-scale' in the draft code for development standards and to set a 5,000-acre maximum for utility-scale solar in the county; commissioners said community-scale projects would be treated differently.
The Whitman County Planning Commission moved and voted on June 17 to reframe parts of the draft solar code to focus regulatory limits on "utility-scale" systems and to cap the total acreage available to such projects at 5,000 acres.
One commissioner moved to replace references to "commercial solar energy projects" with "utility-scale solar energy systems" in the setback and development standards sections. The motion was moved and seconded and the commission approved the change. The commission subsequently voted to set the maximum number of acres available for utility-scale solar at 5,000 acres in the county.
Supporters said distinguishing utility-scale and community-scale projects would allow more targeted development standards: utility-scale facilities (generally larger than 20 acres in the existing draft) would remain tightly regulated and subject to acreage caps, while community-scale projects could have smaller setbacks and different placement rules.
Rachel and staff recommended either keeping definition and standards in one chapter with separate setback tables or, if the commission prefers, adding a clearly labeled section for community-scale projects. Commissioners directed staff to prepare code text consistent with the decisions and to return with clean drafts for the next round of review.
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