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Planning staff previews new solar rules, warns developers are watching a 2,000-acre threshold
Summary
Phil Stembeck of Jefferson County planning gave a brief update on staffing changes and new state solar thresholds that could affect very large solar farms; staff said the planning commission and conditional-use permits can add site-specific conditions such as native seeding or grazing requirements.
Phil Stembeck, a planner with the county's community development department, told the board the planning update would be short and focused on staffing and solar rules. He said the senior planner will begin Sept. 2 and the planning manager position is out for recruitment, then summarized a pending planning commission application and the broader solar-rule conversation.
"solar powering government buildings locally," Stembeck said when describing grant work and interest from developers in different facility types. He reported an upcoming planning commission hearing on Sept. 25 for a conditional use permit for an airstrip on the Clowers property, and said the appeal of any planning decision would come to the commission.
Stembeck and commissioners discussed recent changes to state solar thresholds and how they have shifted over several years, creating uncertainty for developers and counties. He said planning staff have required seeding of native grasses under recent solar installations and that conditional-use permits can include additional site-specific conditions to address grazing, wildlife, weed management and fire risk.
Why it matters: larger solar facilities can cross county- and state-level regulatory thresholds; local zoning and permit conditions are the primary tools Jefferson County has to influence siting and operations until final state rules are implemented.
