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Residents urge Cherokee County commissioners to extend solar moratorium
Summary
Dozens of Cherokee County residents urged the Board of County Commissioners to extend a moratorium on utility-scale solar projects and adopt stricter siting rules, citing property values, health, water and farm impacts. The board said it will consider a moratorium extension at its Sept. 9 meeting.
Dozens of residents told the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 30 that the county should extend a moratorium on utility-scale solar projects while officials craft rules on setbacks, panel height and bonds. The meeting minutes record that the Board "will discuss the solar moratorium extension during the September 9th regular commission meeting."
Speakers at the public comment period described multiple concerns. Jim Gaither and other neighbors said solar farms could lower surrounding property values; Jason and Becky Spainhower, recent homebuyers, asked who would pay for EPA cleanup of degraded soils when arrays are retired. Water district operator Matt Napier warned that solar farms could contaminate the water, and lifelong residents raised health and food-production concerns.
Commissioners Cory Moates, Lorie Johnson and Myra Frazier responded to the group and recorded that they will take up a request to extend the moratorium at the Sept. 9 meeting. The minutes show the Board has not made a decision yet; residents asked for more research and specific regulatory language before any permits or contracts are approved.
