(Versailles, IN) – The Ripley County Area Plan Commission (APC) voted 8-1 Tuesday night to send to county commissioners a favorable recommendation for a proposed commercial solar ordinance.
The proposed regulations were hammered out after several months of meetings and public comment.
The rules call for setbacks such as 250 feet from residential areas; 200 feet from parcels less than 10 acres, and 100 feet from public roadways, driveways, and agriculture-use properties.
The proposal also includes bonding and a screening plan.
The issue has been a hot topic in the northern part of the county near Batesville since the spring.
“We do expect the commissioners to adopt this, generally in the form that we’ve presented it,” said Ripley County Surveyor Jeff French. “There may be some minor adjustments, but the important thing for people to know is that doesn’t just relate to one particular area in the county where it’s a controversial item right now. The important thing for people to know is that this covers the entire county and because of that, it has to be very general in nature, and it has to address every region of where we live.”
Three people addressed the APC during the public comment period at Tuesday night’s meeting, including attorney Blaine Timonera, who is representing concerned Batesville area residents.
Timonera said his clients were worried because they’ve been told property currently zoned “Roadside Business” has been flipped to “Agriculture” and that it will never revert to “Industrial.”
APC member David Osborne said that was a miscommunication and that this panel could not rezone and they are only able to make recommendations to elective/legislative bodies such as county commissioners.
French says they looked at ordinances in Jefferson and other adjacent counties as well as non-neighboring jurisdictions for guidance.
“Along with that, we had a solar-friendly ordinance that the state legislature presented and we tried to work with those numbers, as well,” he added. “And we tried to create an ordinance that’s middle of the road, that requires these facilities to be friendly to adjacent landowners.”
The proposed ordinance is expected to be taken up at the next Ripley County Commissioners meeting.
“County commissioners are the elected body of the county that ultimately does control zoning and adoption of ordinances, and there’s still a chance for the public to have input,” French said.
The commissioners’ next meeting is set for Monday, October 16 at 8 a.m. in the Ripley County Courthouse Annex.
