HUNTINGTON — Solar possibilities may be endless in Huntington County with a proposed solar ordinance – providing those who want large scale projects follow 24 requirements in addition to state and federal laws.

Amid a mixed sense of excitement and apprehension at least three dozen people sat in the Huntington County Commissioner’s office Wednesday to see what the proposal would reveal.

“We feel this is our best option,” said County Commissioners President Rob Miller after the meeting. “It’s a direct reflection of what the majority of Huntington County residents desire.”

Commissioner Tom Wall added, “I think we have listened to you.”

The commissioners’ stance, according to a resolution read by Commissioner Miller, is that since solar projects in the county’s original ordinance would have allowed large scale developments on property that would no longer be used as farmland, people wanted to make sure they have a say in their instillations.

The proposed ordinance addresses citizens’ concerns for large scale and business projects. Once the new ordinance is adopted it also would put an end to a year-long solar moratorium for applications and construction of solar projects.

The commissioners voted 3-0 to send the ordinance to a public hearing with the Huntington County Plan Commission at 6:30 p.m. May 14 at the Huntington County Courthouse.

People can get a copy or read it beforehand at the office of the Department of Community Development, County Courthouse Room 204, 201 North Jefferson St., Huntington. To speak about it during the plan commission meeting, people need to follow a number system and room population restrictions.

The proposed ordinance creates a new zoning district called Renewable Energy (RE) District and it removes all references to “Solar Energy Facility, Large” and “Solar Energy Facility, Medium.”

People who voiced their opinions during and after public meetings over the last year asked the county and plan commissions to respect many things, from protecting neighboring property rights to a decommissioning process and landscaping. Many items remain from previous ordinance. A notable change is the 1,000 feet setback on most aspects of an installation.

The proposal removes wording about zoning districts and Solar Energy Systems and deletes definitions of Solar Energy Facility, Large and Solar Energy Facility, Medium.

A renewable energy district is defined to regulate the construction, modification and operation of renewable energy facilities subject to restrictions preserving the public health, safety and general welfare from operating.

Land uses remain the same as last year’s version with the addition of solar energy systems and battery energy storage systems. Some locations require specific requirements noted with an asterisk symbol.

If someone wants a solar district but needs to rezone property, that will require approval by the plan commission. Any changes to an existing solar field need approval too.

The ordinance:

• protects agriculture;

• meets site conditions, storm water management, tree preservation, a base setback number of 1,000 feet from roadways, wells and property lines;

• complies with building, electric and plumbing codes;

• addresses noise levels, vibration, signal interference, glare problems; appearance, lighting;

• requires new equipment approved by the Plan Commission; panels to be 25 feet apart and no taller that 12 feet; emergency signs with contact information; safety provisions and traffic management around the facility; disconnecting the system for emergencies, many applicable drainage infrastructure issues, liability insurance of the owner or operator of the facility and its members; and not to create a public nuisance;

• regulates fencing such as locks, no barbed wire except for safety while negotiating fence height; waste and hazardous waste materials to avoid contamination; an extensive landscape buffer, clearing vegetation for solar installation and operation and planting pollinators, locating wiring underground yet approval by the drainage board in an easement or public right of way; and

• allows animal crossing deemed appropriate by the Plan Commission.
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