County approves solar farm regulations
By Chris Fortune
Buchanan County officially has guidelines for any future development of solar farms on its land.
The Buchanan County commissioners unanimously approved solar farm regulations last week after receiving the final draft in July.
It took two years working in tandem with the planning and zoning commission to establish guidelines for large developers — not homeowners with solar panels.
“It was not an easy process,” Presiding Commissioner Scott Nelson said. “We had an engineering firm — Black & Veatch — they helped us early, and they were always available.”
Nelson estimates Buchanan County paid $14,000 to $16,000 to Black & Veatch for its help in establishing regulations for solar farms that generate around 50 megawatts or more of electricity.
The county has not received any applications for a large solar farm yet, but Nelson said they now have guidelines for developers to follow.
“They would still have to go before the planning and zoning commission,” Nelson said. “But at least planning and zoning can say, ‘Where’s the checklist? Have (the developers) done it?’”
News-Press NOW previously reported that the proposed rules included requiring an applicant to provide a landscaping plan that provides a visual buffer. It also included basic safety rules, like ensuring solar radiation or glare does not project onto structures, roadways or air traffic.
The rules for a visual buffer and ground cover were among the top concerns for some members of the planning and zoning commission.
Ground cover rules include only clearing natural vegetation necessary for construction and planting and maintaining vegetation approved by the county. Nelson said the county does not know everything about solar, and the document will likely be updated in the future.
“We made a couple of changes that some of the members were a bit concerned about,” Nelson said. “But at the same time, our council said, let’s (not) get real specific because even this ordinance, this document, if you want to call it that, it is a living document.”
The solar regulations are in effect now, and the planning and zoning commission is working on inserting the new guidelines into its books.
