A pollinator-friendly solar installation at the University of Dayton is similar to what developers say is planned at the proposed Swallowtail Solar Farm in northeast Bartholomew County.
COLUMBUS, Ind. — Proposed regulations where large solar fields may be located will be considered by the Bartholomew County Commissioners Monday.
County officials reminded those planning on attending the meeting that no specific project will be discussed at the meeting.
“We are not advocating for solar farms nor are we trying to keep them away,” commissioners’ Chairman Carl Lienhoop said. “That is not our decision.”
Instead, the three commissioners will only focus on proposed setbacks from neighboring properties, as well as right-of-way on county roads and highways, he said.
Since an ordinance requires two separate votes at two different meetings, the commissioners won’t take a final vote until either Oct. 24 or Oct. 31st, Lienhoop said. At this time, the chairman says he’s leaning toward waiting only a week between the first and second readings of the ordinance.
What the commissioners will consider Monday are proposed regulations approved Aug. 10 with a 6-1 vote by the Bartholomew County Plan Commission. These regulations refer to large solar fields that planners refer to as Commercial Solar Energy Systems (CSES).
The proposal calls for a solar field to be set back 200 feet from residential lots of five acres or less. Earlier drafts established it at 500 feet while some have asked that the setback be extended to at least 700 feet. Advocates say if setbacks are too large, it will make it impossible to site any solar farm.
The recommendations that will be presented by Columbus/Bartholomew County Planning Director Jeff Bergman will include provisions that no structures, equipment, storage area, vehicle service drive or fence be allowed within 250 feet of several forms of residential developments. That was lowered from the initial proposal of 500 feet.
The proposal does call for a 500-foot setback from schools, day-care centers, hospitals, retirement centers and other community facilities unless a waiver is obtained between the involved parties.
Another provision states no solar energy system electrical substation be allowed within 500 feet of residential properties. That distance was lowered from an earlier recommendation of 750 feet.
A consensus was reached by the plan commission that complete decommissioning of a solar field should be required regardless of the presence of a financial guarantee. That includes any instance where a financial guarantee is insufficient for the complete removal of equipment.
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
