Supervisors agree to shorten some setback distances
~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
Greene County board of supervisors chair John Muir again cautioned representatives of National Grid Renewables and other participants that the public discussion of the Greene County zoning ordinance re-write concerning rules for utility level solar projects is “not a negotiation.”
“We are open to comments,” supervisor Dawn Rudolph said.
The public discussion at the board’s regular meeting Sept. 6 was attended by Justin Foss, representative of Alliant Energy, and Marta Lasch from NGR attending electronically, as well as interested residents of the county.
Prior to the discussion, the board set Sept. 12 at 9:15 am for a public hearing on a amendment to the ordinance that established a moratorium on utility-level solar energy projects.
The moratorium is set to expire at noon on Sept. 26. The proposed amendment would extend the moratorium to noon on Oct. 24, or to the time the county zoning ordinance is amended to state the permitting procedures and the physical requirements governing utility level solar projects in the county, if that occurs before Oct 24.
Muir said, “We want to balance all interests, the residents who live in affected areas, the needs of agriculture, and still promote solar energy.”
County attorney Thomas Laehn said he had met supervisors Rudolph and Muir to discuss information received from the last board meeting and afterward. The board had heard then about emergency plans for fire and other accidents, problems with glare from the solar panels, and health effects of electromagnetic energy, among other concerns.
Justin Foss from Alliant Energy offered assistance.
“We’re building solar projects across the state,” he said.
Laehn said, “We want to adjust the definition of ‘utility scale’ to spell out inverters, battery energy storage, and substations. Substations would be exempt from height limitations. NGR wants us to include industrial and commercial districts in the areas solar projects can be located.”
Currently, the ordinance proposes agricultural and mineral extraction districts as permitted locations.
Rudolph said, “There aren’t people living in those (industrial and commercial) districts anyway.”
Laehn said, “We could make a concession by the county for only counting the area of the actual solar panels in the 1000-acre cap for a solar project.”
“I don’t look at it as a concession,” Muir said. “It’s a better understanding.”
“We hope they will put in landscaping,” Rudolph said.
The current proposed plan requires 4-foot tall trees be planted initially.
Lasch and Foss both requested less setback distances.
The board discussed setback distances and scaled them back from previously discussed distances. Proposed setbacks are now 150 feet from property lines shortened from 250 feet; 600 feet from dwelling units shortened from 1000 feet; 75 feet from right of way lines; 150 feet from wildlife management areas and state recreation areas; and 150 feet from cemeteries.
The board compared setback distances for solar projects and for wind turbines and agreed they are “two different things” since the danger of a turbine blade breaking off and doing damage is absent with solar panels.
“If a cemetery needs to expand, it could be a problem,” Rudolph said.
Christine Rogers, attorney at NGR, told the board language could be added to a conditional use permit if needs (are anticipated to) arise for cemetery expansion.
The board discussed the need for a more precisely defined emergency plan.
“I’m still not sold on (the effect of solar projects) on property values,” Rudolph said.
Lasch responded, “Property value studies have been included in the report to the Iowa Utilities Board. Across the US, property values are not diminished.”
Decommissioning or abandoning a solar project was discussed.
Attorney Laehn recommended changing the number of days to either reactivate or remove all the solar installation from 180 days to 270 days.
In further explanation, Laehn said the solar company could be allowed a 90-day extension to the 270 days.
“The solar company could also bank the facility for future use for up to two years,” he said. “So, the total time would be roughly three years of inactivity.”
The open house requirement for solar companies was discussed. Companies are required to have an open house for the public and pass along comments to the IUB.
NGR objected to the requirement to pass along all comments and suggested they should only be “a conduit for written comments” to the IUB.
Marta Lasch, NGR, said, “We are supportive of the changes and appreciate the board’s clarification.”
Justin Foss, Alliant Energy, expressed appreciation for the “variances on the 1000 acre cap.”
“We want to be able to look current residents in the face and still allow growth in the county,” Muir said. “ (The board) will discuss this, and everyone has to agree with a smile on their face.”
Dissatisfaction from the public was expressed during the discussion.
Larry Johnson, property owner for 35 years within the proposed Grand Junction solar project, said, “One thousand acres of solar panels is a damned industrial park. That’s not why we moved there. This is farm ground.”
Johnson said he has seen a solar farm in Minnesota. “It’s a solar panel hell.”
Bill Radebaugh also spoke about differences in the process of becoming part of the wind turbine project and being part of the solar energy project. The wind turbine project seemed less coercive.
In other business, the board unanimously approved a county substance abuse prevention services agreement with New Opportunities, Inc. New Opportunities will use Iowa Department of Public Health funding estimated at $1,902 to add to a 3 to 1 county match of $5,706 to accomplish substance abuse prevention goals.
Engineer Wade Weiss reported his department provided assistance with the planned dog park near the new animal shelter and a storage shed being constructed in the high school student construction program.
He also said crews are finishing concrete patching on the Squirrel Hollow pavement.
Rudolph reported she and Sheriff Jack Williams had discussed how to report information to the public about the proposed new jail.
