York County Press Release
YORK – With a 3-2 vote, the York County Commissioners passed a resolution Tuesday morning which sets the county’s zoning regulations for solar projects. The regulations include half-mile setbacks for non-participating homes, churches and schools for Class 4, large industrial solar projects (such as the one being pursued in the rural McCool area).
The setbacks have been the most contentious point of the conversation, as this determines how far away large industrial Class 4 solar projects have to be from these types of properties. Many York County residents have testified how these long setbacks are necessary to protect the properties of non-participating owners, while representatives of the Omaha Public Power District (which has been pursuing the K Junction Solar project by McCool) say such long setbacks inherently prohibit large solar projects such as theirs.
Voting in favor of the resolution, which requires the half-mile setbacks, were Commissioners Andy Bowman, Daniel Grotz and Deb Robertson.
Voting no were Commissioners Joe Burgess and Randy Obermier.
This vote comes after four years of conversations, a recall election, and a fluctuation of people sitting on the county board. It comes after countless meetings of the York County Planning and Zoning Commission (which recommended the half-mile setbacks), countless conversations among the county commissioners, and public hearings lasting hours as the public was invited to weigh in on the issue.
Prior to this, the mention of solar projects did not exist in the county’s zoning regulations.
A long public hearing was held Monday night, before the planning commission and the county board. On Tuesday morning, there was even more public testimony as the commissioners prepared to take a final vote in the matter – setting the solar regulations in stone with a resolution.
Due to the sheer volume of testimony and comment, the coverage of this matter will be done in installations – stay tuned to read all the public comment and sentiments of the county board members.
