County still seeking solar energy rules
By Steve Herring
Published in News on September 8, 2014 1:46 PM
Wayne County commissioners continue to struggle with creating an ordinance to regulate the development of solar energy facilities in the county.
For the third time this year, commissioners last Tuesday sought to pare down a proposed ordinance, calling it too restrictive.
Commissioners Joe Daughtery and Ray Mayo have been the most vocal critics of the proposal from the Wayne County Planning Department.
During Tuesday's work session on the proposal, Daughtery went as far as to ask County Planner Connie Price the purpose behind the ordinance.
To protect adjoining property owners, Price said.
But Daughtery said they did not need protection because the solar energy facilities, unlike poultry and swine operations, do not produce offensive odors or noise.
Price agreed, but said the concern is that there is no history to use as a guide as to how such a facility would affect future property values.
Perhaps the biggest sticking point for commissioners has been the proposal's setback requirements, as well as the use of landscaping, opaque fences and berms.
Mayo and Daughtery said the setbacks were too much and would greatly reduce the useable size of a lot.
Daughtery also questioned the requirement that a commercial operation be no less than 10 acres. That part of the proposal should be eliminated, he said.
No decision was reached and, as they have on the past two occasions, commissioners told Price to try again. Another work session is expected to be held.
Representatives of companies interested in building solar farms were invited to Tuesday's meeting. Normally, the work sessions are limited to discussions between commissioners and county staff. But county officials said having input from the companies is helpful.
"I don't think it gives them an unfair advantage," County Manager George Wood said. "Any constituents could have watched that on TV, or read your news account and picked up the phone and say, 'I don't agree with what those people were saying,' or that, 'I don't agree with the tack you are taking.'"
Also, people who are opposed or have other views on the ordinance will be able to speak whenever the board holds the required public hearing before it can adopt an ordinance, Wood added.
It is not unusual to involve officials who represent a business or industry that would be regulated by an ordinance under discussion, Wood said. There is no problem with such discussions as long as they are done in open session, he said.