The Carroll County Board of Commissioners is transferring ahead with a proposed six-month moratorium on giant photo voltaic farms, after listening to from residents who oppose them on agricultural land close to houses.
The board voted unanimously Thursday to direct the county lawyer to draft an ordinance for a six-month ban on the development of photo voltaic panels on agricultural land. Commissioners will current the ordinance language at their subsequent assembly on Jan. 26. A public listening to shall be held three weeks later.
“We really feel these photo voltaic farms belong extra in industrial, business areas,” stated Mark Hamilton, a resident of Fannie Dorsey Highway in Sykesville. “They do not need to be deliberate for agriculture to borderline residential communities. That is what occurred in my case. They’ve a proposed photo voltaic farm going up throughout the road from me. It simply would not make sense.”
Stephen Roberts, a resident of Jasana Courtroom in Sykesville, stated a few of the advantages of dwelling in Carroll County are the gorgeous open area and views.
“Most individuals usually are not in opposition to photo voltaic,” Roberts stated. “Nevertheless it would not belong in my home or anybody else’s.” I am so glad you place a moratorium on it however imply ‘moratorium.’”
Roberts requested if the photo voltaic farms being constructed now could be compelled to cease development.
Christopher Heyn, director of the county’s Division of Land & Useful resource Administration, stated there are 10 deliberate photo voltaic farms in improvement evaluation. 4 of them are in industrial property.
Heyn prompt that these ought to proceed to undergo the evaluation course of, as a result of they’re positioned on industrial property, however stated that this proposed moratorium would have an effect on 5 out of 10 which can be on agricultural land.
In 2021, commissioners adopted a Group Photo voltaic Zoning Textual content Modification to the county’s photo voltaic code that enables photo voltaic power farms on sure parts of land zoned agricultural. Photo voltaic panels can solely be positioned on 20 hectares of parcels. After the group’s photo voltaic panels are constructed, the remaining property will go right into a everlasting conservation district. This was carried out to stop the enlargement of the photo voltaic facility.
“I feel the vital factor (is) to take a look at the change within the zoning textual content that was carried out up to now, and why we did it,” stated Brenda Dinne, the county’s particular initiatives coordinator.
At the moment, there are about 22,000 acres within the county eligible for photo voltaic panels, however that does not imply all of the land is definitely appropriate, Dinne stated. Connections have to be near photo voltaic to work.
Thursday’s photo voltaic dialogue is meant solely as a briefing for commissioners of the agricultural land group’s photo voltaic power program.
Nonetheless, in a shock transfer, District 2 Commissioner Ken Kiler made a movement to have the county lawyer put together an ordinance that might set up a six-month moratorium on present and future submissions, critiques and processing. functions for group photo voltaic power programs within the county and directs the Planning Division to evaluation the proposed ordinance, and if acceptable, make suggestions to switch photo voltaic power amenities in agricultural zones.
Kiler instantly bought a second from a number of fellow commissioners.
Kiler stated he isn’t anti-solar, however desires to encourage photo voltaic fields in industrial and business districts or on rooftops, slightly than on farms.
“Photo voltaic fields usually are not a great use of ag property, for my part,” he stated. “They’re additionally unfair to the neighboring residents. I feel high quality of life could be very crucial in Carroll County. That is what makes our province particular.
“Now’s the time,” he stated. “We won’t let it go any longer. That is the place I am from.”
District 4 Commissioner Michael Guerin agreed and stated after assembly with residents final spring against photo voltaic farms, he needed to look deeper into the problem.
