ANDERSON — The Madison County Board of Commissioners approved a new solar ordinance in 2024, allowing a moratorium on new solar farm projects in the county to expire.
Local real estate agent Denise Spooner has been an advocate for adoption of the new ordinance, which regulates large-scale solar projects.
“I’m very pleased with the ordinance the county passed,” Spooner said in 2024, noting that she had researched many aspects of solar energy facilities, including property value guarantees and protection of farm land.
The Indiana Municipal Power Agency operates several smallscale solar energy facilities inside the Anderson city limits and in Pendleton.
After Madison County approved the proposed Lone Oak solar facility in the northern part of the county in 2019 and met vociferous local opposition, county officials imposed the moratorium preventing large-scale facilities in the county until a new solar ordinance could be adopted.
The new ordinance limits where a large-scale commercial operation can locate with a special use and requires setbacks from adjacent nonparticipating property owners ranging from 400 to 450 feet. Under the ordinance, a largescale facility could range from 76 to 400 acres.
The ordinance also stipulates a three-mile neutral zone requirement between solar developments and includes a residential property value guarantee clause for single-family residences within three miles covering the start of construction.
The ordinance also includes a provision that no more than 10% of the prime farm ground in the project area can be used for solar energy facilities.
The planned Lone Oak solar facility in northern Madison County was abandoned by the developer in early 2025.
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