Vermillion County Commissioners ready to look at solar overhaul

Could there be changes to the way the Vermillion County Commissioners consider solar farm projects in the future?

It is possible as county commissioners mull over a proposed ordinance ahead of their meeting on Monday, July 6. 

Last month, Area Plan Commission President Penney Carpenter asked the commissioners to consider removing solar projects from the Unified Development Ordinance. By doing so, a solar farm company would have to go through the Area Plan Commission and then the Board of Commissioners, and Commissioners would have an opportunity to see each project individually and decide on an individual basis. 

According to Commissioner William Peebles, there are already regulations in place for solar in Vermillion County. 

"We have regulations in the UDO for solar. The UDO was just adopted last year by the current Board of Commissioners. These were put in place to protect neighbors as well as regulations for the developers must adhere to. We have been able to make some adjustments to the UDO since we put it in place," Peebles told The Parke County Post.

Peebles said he does question why "all of a sudden" the Area Plan Commission doesn't have faith in the regulations they drafted for solar development in Vermillion County. 

"I will say for the record, it is not my goal to see solar in every open space in Vermillion County, but I also am a huge supporter of private property rights. Solar development brings other opportunities to the land owners and increased tax revenue for the county," Peebles admitted. 

There are currently two solar farm projects approved in Vermillion County. In a video posted to Facebook, Commissioner RJ Dunavan said there are three to four solar companies looking at developing projects south of I-74 into Clinton Township and across the county. 

A decision by the Commissioners comes on the heels of the Vermillion County Council discussing the 10-year abatement for Apex Clean Energy's Brouillette Creek Solar Project. The County Council voted in favor of the measure.