During March 10th's General Government and Planning Committee meeting, a working group tasked with proposing changes to Lexington's solar energy systems zoning ordinance shared its recommendations with councilmembers.
After a lengthy discussion, committee members voted 6-4 to send the proposed changes to the Rural Land Management Board, the Environmental Commission, and Engage Lexington for feedback.
According to 5th District Councilmember Liz Sheehan, chair of the Council's General Government and Planning Committee, the draft will also go to the Planning Commission through the regular zoning ordinance text amendment process. After a first and second reading from councilmembers, it would be formally sent to the Planning Commission, which has 60 days to review the changes and hold a public hearing. Sheehan said the ZOTA would come back before councilmembers for additional review in the fall.
The Solar Working Group's proposed recommendations include additional requirements for large-scale solar projects on land traditionally reserved for agriculture, including that they must have continuous agriculture production subject to annual inspections, along with land conservation and water quality plans.
Several large-scale solar projects, defined as having a footprint greater than 5 acres, are in the works in Fayette County. Examples include a solar installation at the Haley Pike landfill.
The Tennessee-based company Silicon Ranch is also proposing a local project to blend agriculture with solar energy production, though it's facing regulatory hurdles. Kentucky's Public Service Commission, which regulates the state's utility companies, has also approved a large-scale project from the East Kentucky Power Cooperative that isn't subject to the Council's review.
There are also provisions for Community Benefits Plans for low-income energy bill relief and stricter clean-up requirements when solar energy systems are decommissioned.
Some residents and local advocacy groups that want to limit solar development on local farmland, such as Fayette Alliance, have raised concerns about the transparency of the process. Large-scale solar projects are currently capped at 1% of Fayette County's total acreage and projects must have 85% vegetative ground cover.
Committee reviews working group's recommendations
During the meeting, 5th District Legislative Aide Sylvia Cassidy described the Solar Working Group's work over the last six months.
The group has been meeting to discuss soil preservation and protection, the regulatory burdens solar energy systems face, agrivoltaics and dual-use opportunities, solar decommissioning processes, community benefit agreements, power distribution, economic impacts, and opportunities for solar energy systems on landfills, floodplains and brownfields.
Working group members include 5th District Councilmember Liz Sheehan, 10th District Councilmember Dave Sevigny, 1st District Councilmember Tyler Morton, and 12 District Councilmember Hil Boone, along with two city planners.
To develop its changes to Lexington's solar energy systems ordinance, the working group met with various stakeholders. These include Kentucky Utilities, the Kentucky Resources Council, the Laborers International Union of North America, the American Farmland Trust, the Kentucky Sheep and Wool Producers Association, the Fayette County Conservation District, the Ohio River Valley Institute, and the city of Lexington itself.
How council voted on advancing the changes
During the meeting, councilmembers were split on whether there was enough input from the public and soil conservation experts in drafting the changes to the Lexington solar energy systems zoning ordinance.
Boone joined 9th District Councilmember Whitney Elliot Baxter, 11th District Councilmember Jennifer Reynolds and At-Large Councilmember Chuck Ellinger II in advocating for more input from groups like the Rural Land Management Board and other community stakeholders from the beginning of the process.
Vice Mayor Dan Wu joined At-Large Councilmember James Brown, 4th District Councilmember Emma Curtis and Councilmembers Sevigny and Sheehan in supporting the current process and timeline.
2nd District Councilmember Shayla Lynch facilitated the committee's discussion.
Here's how the committee voted on advancing the draft changes:
Aaron covers the Lexington Fayette Urban County Council as a City Hall Reporter for CivicLex. His background is in Service Journalism, and he’s passionate about helping Lexington residents stay informed about happenings in local government.
After six months of meetings, Lexington's Solar Working Group is recommending new protections for farmland, stronger decommissioning rules, and a new pathway for solar on brownfield properties.
