Solar farm hearing on county agenda
By Steve Herring
Published in News on December 13, 2015 3:05 AM
Wayne County commissioners on Tuesday are expected to set a public hearing for Jan. 19 on proposed changes to the county's solar energy facilities ordinance.
The primary changes will be to define what constitutes abandonment and decommissioning of such facilities and improving language for the notification and the review process for Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and municipal airports.
During their Oct. 18 session, commissioners instructed the Planning Department to research, review and make recommendations for changes to the ordinance.
Base officials were part of the review process and commented on the proposed changes.
Tuesday's meeting will get under way with an agenda briefing at 8 a.m. followed by the formal session at 9 a.m. Both will be held in the commissioners' meeting room on the fourth floor of the Wayne County Courthouse.
Under the changes, any solar energy facility that ceases to produce energy on a continuous basis for 12 months will be considered abandoned unless the current owners provide "substantial evidence" (updated every six months after 12 months of no energy production) to the county of their intent to maintain and reinstate the operation of that facility.
It will be the responsibility of the responsible party to remove all equipment and restore the land to its condition prior to development of the facility.
If the facility is determined to be abandoned the county will notify the party responsible it must remove the facility and restore the site to its condition prior to development of the facility within 360 days of the notice.
If the responsible party fails to comply, the county may remove the facility, sell any removed materials, and initiate judicial proceedings or take any other steps legally authorized to recover the costs required to remove the facility and restore the site to a non-hazardous pre-development condition.
Also, notification of intent to construct an such a facility must be sent to the Seymour Johnson Base commander or designated official 30 days before the regularly scheduled Wayne County Planning Board meeting.
In other business Tuesday, commissioners are expected to make changes to the public comments portion of their meetings.
Currently, public comments are at 10 a.m. and speakers have four minutes to address the board.
The board will be asked to change the time to 9:15 a.m. to allow the public to comment on agenda items prior to any board action.
Commissioners already have taken steps to set the tone for comments.
Speakers are being asked to conduct themselves in a respectful and courteous manner. They are being encouraged as well to discuss only items over which commissioners have some control.
Also, signs are no longer allowed and handouts must be given to Marcia Wilson, clerk to the board, instead of individual commissioners.
Also on the agenda are motions to:
* Approve the final subdivision plat for Ingram Fields section 3.
* Reject all bids for lease of county-owed farmland at ParkEast and authorize rebidding.
Items on the consent agenda include: Establishing a public hearing at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 19 on naming the new service road off U.S. 70 West from N.C. 581 South to Community Drive as Emmett Neal Road; application for Elderly or Disabled Property Tax Exclusion; application for Property Tax Exclusion; applications for Present Use Value; petition to add Glen Laurel Drive, Laurel Place and Mona Place in Glen Laurel subdivision to the state road maintenance system; and budget amendments.