MOUNT VERNON—The Knox County commissioners heeded the townships’ wishes, passing a resolution on Thursday banning utility-scale solar in 20 townships.
The commissioners will decide solar projects in Middlebury and Wayne townships on a case-by-case basis.
The resolution bans wind projects countywide.
Commissioner Barry Lester said that after last week’s public hearing, he thought about the line between big government and representing the people.
“They took the time to show up and address their townships’ thoughts, and they represent their constituents,” he said of the trustees who spoke at the hearing.
Lester proposed honoring the exclusionary zone requests of the 20 townships and the pro-solar stance of the other two.
Commissioner Drenda Keesee advocated for a countywide ban based on research and speaking with residents in Middlebury and Wayne who do not want large-scale solar.
Commissioner Bill Pursel noted four townships do not have zoning, but spoke against industrial solar. College Township chose not to speak at the hearing.
“We also know that College Township has a lot of conservancies that are going to stymie any industrial solar that could take place there,” Pursel said.
“We did ask [townships] to give us input, and if we then say to them your input in the case of solar is not important enough for us to listen, that creates issues for us in the future when we go out to the townships and ask them for their opinion.”
Pursel sided with Lester on allowing Middlebury and Wayne to be case-by-case.
“My whole approach was just that I don’t want to see landowners or neighbors go through what I’ve heard reports of other large-scale solar across Ohio has happened,” Keesee said. “But I’m willing to second this because I want to see it banned at least from the 20 townships.”
A new board of commissioners has the right to reverse Thursday’s resolution.
The resolution takes effect in 30 days.
Ohio Ethics Commission
In January, Keesee sought an advisory opinion from the Ohio Ethics Commission about voting on solar issues as a Knox County commissioner.
Keesee requested the opinion after the commissioners tabled a resolution opposing the Frasier Solar Project in Miller and Clinton townships.
Citing the Ohio Revised Code 102.03(d) and (E), the commission ruled that Keesee could not vote on, discuss, deliberate, recommend, lobby, or take any other action on Frasier Solar because her property is adjacent to the proposed project and is presumed to be affected by the development.
However, the commission stated she could participate and vote on general legislation affecting the entire county.