Delaware County still working on new solar project ordinance

Delaware County officials say they’re still working on crafting a county ordinance that would govern future solar energy projects.  IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports.

The county’s year-long moratorium on solar energy projects would have expired this week, but commissioners extended it through August.

Commission president Shannon Henry says that gives time for the solar committee to continue to work on an ordinance.  Last month, Delaware-Muncie Metropolitan Plan Commission director Marta Moody died after a short illness.  Henry says she’d headed the rewriting of that ordinance.

“I want to make it clear.  It’s not that anyone’s trying to hide anything.  We’re in a difficult situation.”

Last February’s moratorium came after some farmers and homeowners in northern Delaware County came together to demand they didn’t want a proposed solar farm project near their homes or farm ground.  That group was most concerned about setbacks – how far a solar panel farm should be from their property lines.

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A committee was ordered to look into changes.  Moody essentially led that committee and commissioners say she took notes and minutes.  Henry says extending the moratorium until August gives time for the plan commission to go through Moody’s notes.

Henry suggests the solar committee meets at least one more time as the process continues, saying the county is “still in the early stages” of a rewrite.

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