The exterior of Bartholomew County Courthouse in Columbus, Ind., pictured, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016. Mike Wolanin | The Republic
COLUMBUS, Ind. — The Bartholomew County commissioners voted 2-1 Monday to give preliminary approval to proposed regulations for sites for solar fields after a lengthy public hearing held in person and online.
Commissioners’ Chairman Carl Lienhoop cast the “no” vote, while Larry Kleinhenz and Tony London voted in favor of the ordinance. However, when the recommendations approved in August by the Bartholomew County Plan Commission come up for a second and final reading on Monday, Oct. 24, the commissioners said it’s likely they will ask for some changes.
The commissioners said they felt pressured into taking some action this week because state law only gives them 90 days from the day the plan commission makes its recommendation to take action themselves.
If the county commissioners make no decision by Nov. 14, the plan commission recommendations automatically become law, Columbus/Bartholomew County Planning Director Jeff Bergman said.
If the commissioners request changes during next week’s second reading, Bergman says the county’s executive board will have met its legal obligations. It will start another counting period that gives the plan commission 45 days to consider the county commissioners’ changes before sending it back with updated recommendations, Bergman said.
About 24 individuals told the commissioners their thoughts about solar fields in person Monday, while a much larger group observed the meeting online through Zoom video conferencing.
Nearly half of the individuals who spoke requested that setbacks for solar fields return to the original recommendation of 500 feet from residential lots of 5 acres or less. It was the plan commission who voted to reduce that distance to 200 feet in August after several farmers said if the setback is established at 500 feet, it will make it impossible to site any solar farm.
After listening to many explain why they don’t want or like solar fields, Lienhoop decided to made an admission.
“Personally, I’m not in favor of it either,” he said.
For more on this story, see Tuesday’s Republic.
