County inks agreement to cap solar project expansions

Anderson County commissioners have enacted fresh guidelines concerning the arrangement of solar farms, following a two-year hiatus on all industrial solar undertakings, according to the Anderson County Review.

The newly approved regulations mandate that commercial solar projects measuring up to 160 acres can only proceed with a special use permit in agricultural and industrial zoning areas. Moreover, utility scale projects that surpass 160 acres are confined to industrial zoning regions and necessitate a special use permit for operation.

A county-wide restriction has been placed on the total area designated for solar projects, capping it at 4,000 acres. Notably, these regulations apply solely to ground-mounted systems, leaving room for the continuation of roof-top solar installations.

During a meeting held on December 30, commissioners decided to postpone the consideration of an application for a Dogecoin mining facility situated southwest of Garnett. Dogecoin mining involves an extensive setup of computers for the purpose of mining Dogecoin, a form of cryptocurrency.

The proposition was put forth by Milton Yoder on land owned by his father, Avin Yoder of Welda. Although the application had received approval from the county zoning board, commissioners expressed the need to gather more information on such projects, with Commissioner Les McGhee remarking that while he did not wish to impede progress, uncertainties lingered about the future trajectory of such endeavors.

In sum, the recent establishment of regulations by Anderson County commissioners serves to bring forth a structured approach to the implementation of solar projects in the region, setting clear boundaries and guidelines for future endeavors in the solar energy sector. The delineation of permissible project sizes, zoning restrictions, and total land allocation demonstrates a commitment to responsible and well-managed development within the county.