For the last several months, the Parke County Commissioners have kicked around the idea of a solar farm ordinance and have gathered plenty of input from citizens.
According to Commissioner Jim Meece, the decision to act stems from several requests for solar farms, along with the fact the county can no longer extend its moratorium on solar farms.
"Over the last couple of years, I have compiled ordinances from other counties that have been either very restrictive or very opening. In that middle ground has to be somewhere for us. I put together an ordinance largely from Tippecanoe County. I distributed a draft for the other Commissioners to look at, as well as anyone who comes to a Commissioners meeting," Meece told The Parke County Post.
Under the proposed ordinance, 6,000 acres in Parke County could be used for solar farms. The panels must be 36 inches off the ground, allowing room for sheep to graze and cannot exceed 16 feet in height.
In addition, the ordinance includes setbacks ranging from 500 to 1,500 feet, depending on how many sides of a property are impacted by a solar farm.
"The idea is not to surround my house with solar panels on all sides, and if it is, then those pieces of equipment need to be so far back that I don't hear anything," Meece said.
Should issues arise, the Parke County Board of Zoning Appeals would handle enforcement.
The Parke County Commissioners are expected to adopt the ordinance at the Aug. 17 meeting.
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