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Planning Commission restarts work on commercial solar and battery storage ordinances
Summary
Consultant Kimley Horn presented an iterative schedule and draft framework for commercial solar and battery energy storage (BESS) ordinances; staff and commissioners agreed to focus next meetings on peer comparisons, setbacks, visual impacts, and decommissioning language.
The Whitman County Planning Commission on March 18 resumed work on draft ordinances for commercial solar energy facilities and battery energy storage systems (BESS), hearing a presentation from consultant Rachel Granrath of Kimley Horn & Associates that laid out an iterative schedule for drafting and public review.
"I'm a land use planning consultant based out of Spokane," Granrath said, and described the consultant role as providing "technical assistance, examples, and help refine language" while noting the Commission and Board of County Commissioners direct final content. Staff reiterated that the existing drafts date from late 2023–early 2025 and were paused while the county prioritized a wind ordinance.
Commissioners were shown a phased calendar: upcoming meetings on draft review and peer comparisons, focused discussions on setbacks and siting, visual impacts and rural character, and community benefits and economic tools. Granrath said the team expects to present a consolidated revised draft for comment in June and target a June 17 revised ordinance for potential public hearing scheduling.
Grace Di Biase, assistant planner, summarized the drafts and the overall permitting approach, saying, "Overall, the drafts establish a permitting framework where solar facilities and battery storage facilities would require a conditional use permit." That framework is intended to allow project‑by‑project evaluation while the ordinance includes development standards such as setbacks, fencing, screening and environmental review.
The Commission agreed to prioritize findings from peer communities and to return with topic‑specific draft language at future meetings. Commissioners and staff asked the consultant to supply visuals and technical specifications (typical facility sizes, panel and battery types) at the next meeting so members can better judge siting, scale and mitigation needs.
Next steps: peer comparisons and focused draft redlines at the April 1 meeting; additional public outreach and targeted policy work on decommissioning, safety and environmental standards before a consolidated June draft.
