Gage County moratorium on commercial solar applications, stays in place

BEATRICE – The Gage County Board has left a moratorium in place banning commercial solar energy permits, while lifting the moratorium set to expire at the end of this year on wind energy and small residential solar project permits.

Gage County’s Planning Commission is in the process of establishing regulations on solar energy, says Zoning Administrator Lisa Wiegand…while still allowing for smaller residential solar projects.

"Because as people are planning their new homes, they may be planning new solar panels. Right now, up to this time before we had a moratorium, we were treating the panels on top of the roof tops.....those smaller panels that are around 30 kilowatts, about ten feet tall...maybe take about 25 feet or so...we're treating them as an accessory to the primary use of that particular piece of real estate."

After a lengthy battle over new wind energy regulations now in place in Gage County, commercial solar energy could become the next battleground over property use. Gage County Supervisors first placed a moratorium on new wind energy permits in July of 2020….then extending the moratorium on June 16th of this year until the end of 2021.

Wiegand says the planning commission still needs to complete work on commercial solar regulations. "To also be comparable to the protection clauses now in your wind regulations, so those things need to be addressed. Keep in mind, we also have to go to a hearing process before we recommend to you guys."

The planning commission forwards recommendations to the county board, which has the final say on regulations. Work on solar regulations by the commission had been on hold while the county dealt with the lengthy process of wind energy rules.

"We'll put it back on the agenda, but as everybody knows, on the commercial side it's going to take a little time. The most sensitive thing is probably consideration of the viewshed, and setbacks for property owners for those commercial sites."

Wiegand estimated that getting solar energy recommendations finalized is at least three months from completion.  The vote on moratorium changes was 4-2, with one member absent from Wednesday’s supervisor’s meeting. The board may have to act again after the current moratorium on commercial solar expires at the end of this year.