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Committee members disagree over hearing timing and municipal‑approval clause for solar projects
Summary
Pat Ryan said four siting hearings in 15 days did not allow enough review time; Joe Witte countered the county followed State Statute and disputed the applicability of a 1.5‑mile municipal approval requirement, which Claro Carter wants to retain in the ordinance.
Pat Ryan told the Land Use Committee that "having 4 hearings within 15 days did not allow enough time for review" and urged solar companies to coordinate more reasonable hearing schedules with the county. Joe Witte responded that the county followed the timing outlined in State Statutes and later said the ordinance's requirement that municipalities within 1.5 miles must approve a solar project is more restrictive than State Statute and does not apply to solar projects.
Claro Carter asserted that the municipal‑approval requirement should stay in the county ordinance and suggested that anyone wishing to challenge it may do so. The committee did not vote to change ordinance language during the meeting; the discussion identified both procedural and substantive disagreements that would need resolution through RPC or county board action.
