Planning commission sets 300‑foot buffer from non‑participating properties, approves 1,500‑foot house buffer with waiver

The Whitman County Planning Commission on June 3 moved to establish larger minimum setbacks for utility‑scale solar and battery energy storage systems (BESS) in draft code language. Commissioners approved a 300‑foot minimum setback from non‑participating property lines, a 1,500‑foot minimum from non‑participating occupied buildings that may be reduced via a negotiated waiver, and increased the minimum distance from public right‑of‑way to 100 feet.

Commissioner Brian Davies proposed the primary rewrite, saying, “A minimum setback distance of 300 feet from all non‑participating property lines,” a change meant to provide a consistent buffer that typically places residences farther from project footprints. The Commission then debated whether to add a separate, larger house‑to‑project buffer. Commissioner Weston Kane urged consideration of a 1,500‑foot house buffer, noting the county’s existing 1,500‑foot viewshed rule for new houses; consultant Rachel Granrath cautioned that a 1,500‑foot countywide setback would be restrictive and recommended mapping to show land‑use impacts.

After discussing waivers and conditional‑use flexibility, the Commission voted on the three items in sequence. A motion to adopt a 300‑foot setback from non‑participating property lines passed after a recorded voice vote with two commissioners opposed. The body then approved a 1,500‑foot minimum from non‑participating occupied buildings with an explicit waiver process, and adopted 100 feet as the right‑of‑way minimum after hearing Public Works Director Mark Storey’s recommendation that 50 feet is often sufficient but accepting a larger minimum to respond to safety and visual concerns.

Staff said they will run mapping exercises to illustrate how each setback would affect developable lands and return draft ordinance language tuned to the Commission’s direction. The Commission emphasized that the setbacks establish minimums; site‑specific mitigation and the conditional use permit (CUP) process can impose a larger buffer or additional measures when warranted.