Protect Our Rural Warren County, NC Communities With Better Standards for Solar Farms
The Issue
The following amendment is proposed to help mitigate the visual impacts and the reduction of property values of neighboring properties that result from the installation of solar farms within Warren County. These enhanced standards will further protect against the degradation of our rural landscape and the economic impacts of a diminished tourism asset.
Proposals to develop solar farms within our County will come with increasing pressure in the future as our country moves away from the use of fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources. A recent Bloomberg interview with one Georgia Senator stated a 10-fold increase in the current footprint is needed nationwide. Rural counties and particularly those identified as Tier 1 are targeted for the development of solar farms due primarily to low initial land cost and limited or no land use regulations.
Tier 1 counties are generally the most economically distressed, based on an assessment of each county's unemployment rate, median household income, population growth, and assessed property value per capita.
While Warren County has some standards for solar farms the following language is proposed to strengthen the Warren County Zoning Ordinance to require better screening and separation and limit their size.
Section II DISTRICT REGULATIONS, Part H. Conditional Use Permits(s) Item 25. Solar Farm (aka Solar Energy System – SES – with Photovoltaic Systems):
Item b (Insert following last sentence) All perimeter fencing and accessory components (poles and supports, barrier wire, etc.) shall consist of (a) black vinyl or anodized, (b) galvanized with a naturalizing patina or darkening agent (i.e. Natina Steel Solution or equal) or (c) A242-A weathering steel.
Item d2 (insert following last sentence) Only that portion of the entrance road frontage used for permanent vehicular access shall be exempt from the foregoing buffer requirements. Plant selections shall insure a minimum of 85% screening at maturity and shall include a mix of evergreen species such that no single species constitutes more than 33.3% of the total plantings. Plant spacings shall not to exceed 10’ for medium shrubs or 20’ for trees.
Item h (insert new section) Maximum Fenced Installation Size – The maximum project/installation size shall not exceed 250 acres (fenced footprint inside dimension).
Item I (insert new section) Minimum project spacing – The Minimum straight-line distance/spacing between projects/installations of 51-250 ac in size shall be no less than 5 miles; projects/installations < 50 ac in size shall be no less than 1 mile.
The Issue
The following amendment is proposed to help mitigate the visual impacts and the reduction of property values of neighboring properties that result from the installation of solar farms within Warren County. These enhanced standards will further protect against the degradation of our rural landscape and the economic impacts of a diminished tourism asset.
Proposals to develop solar farms within our County will come with increasing pressure in the future as our country moves away from the use of fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources. A recent Bloomberg interview with one Georgia Senator stated a 10-fold increase in the current footprint is needed nationwide. Rural counties and particularly those identified as Tier 1 are targeted for the development of solar farms due primarily to low initial land cost and limited or no land use regulations.
Tier 1 counties are generally the most economically distressed, based on an assessment of each county's unemployment rate, median household income, population growth, and assessed property value per capita.
While Warren County has some standards for solar farms the following language is proposed to strengthen the Warren County Zoning Ordinance to require better screening and separation and limit their size.
Section II DISTRICT REGULATIONS, Part H. Conditional Use Permits(s) Item 25. Solar Farm (aka Solar Energy System – SES – with Photovoltaic Systems):
Item b (Insert following last sentence) All perimeter fencing and accessory components (poles and supports, barrier wire, etc.) shall consist of (a) black vinyl or anodized, (b) galvanized with a naturalizing patina or darkening agent (i.e. Natina Steel Solution or equal) or (c) A242-A weathering steel.
Item d2 (insert following last sentence) Only that portion of the entrance road frontage used for permanent vehicular access shall be exempt from the foregoing buffer requirements. Plant selections shall insure a minimum of 85% screening at maturity and shall include a mix of evergreen species such that no single species constitutes more than 33.3% of the total plantings. Plant spacings shall not to exceed 10’ for medium shrubs or 20’ for trees.
Item h (insert new section) Maximum Fenced Installation Size – The maximum project/installation size shall not exceed 250 acres (fenced footprint inside dimension).
Item I (insert new section) Minimum project spacing – The Minimum straight-line distance/spacing between projects/installations of 51-250 ac in size shall be no less than 5 miles; projects/installations < 50 ac in size shall be no less than 1 mile.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on September 17, 2021