Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Renewable Energy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners open 45-day comment period on proposed solar and wind zoning language
Summary
Land use staff proposed language changes to Sweetwater County's 2015 zoning resolution to align wildlife protections and add metrics for 'significant adverse impacts' in solar and wind conditional-use rules; commissioners voted unanimously to open a 45‑day public comment period.
Land Use Director Eric Bingham presented a notice of intent Oct. 21 to amend sections of the 2015 Sweetwater County zoning resolution covering conditional use permits for solar energy facilities, wind energy conversion systems and related definitions. The proposed language would align wildlife protections between solar and wind regs, set metrics for "significant adverse impacts" to wildlife and habitat, require projects to incorporate recommendations from state and federal agencies (including Wyoming Game and Fish), and add METOWER metrics such as height, setbacks and FAA notifications.
Bingham described the change as a cleanup and consistency effort: "The purpose of this language amendment is to address wildlife consistency issues between the regulations ... and set metrics for defining significant adverse impacts on both wildlife and their habitat," he said. Planning & Zoning voted unanimously to move the amendment forward. The board voted unanimously to open the 45-day comment period under the Wyoming Administrative Procedures Act and directed staff to distribute the notice to relevant agencies, including the BLM, during the comment period.
