Fairfield County commissioners pass resolution calling for solar field exclusionary zones

LANCASTER − The Fairfield County Board of Commission Tuesday passed a resolution restricting companies from constructing industrial solar farms exceeding 50 megawatts in unincorporated areas of the county.

Those areas are called exclusionary zones. Some landowners have already signed contracts to lease their land to solar companies.

Commission President Dave Levacy and Commissioner Jeff Fix voted to pass the resolution. Steve Davis abstained because he is expected to represent the county on the Ohio Power Siting Board, which approves or disapproves solar field development.

Fix said the move was difficult and the commission is trying to find the balance between the individual property rights of those wanting to lease their land to solar companies and the rights of their neighbors. But he said he supported the exclusionary zone resolution mainly based on considering the future of the county.

Levacy said he agreed with Fix's comments.

Sherry Pymer, who opposes solar fields, said she was "very pleased with the outcome."

"Now our fight is just beginning because we have the project (Eastern Cottontail Solar in Walnut Township) that is partially grandfathered.," she said. "So it will go to the Ohio Power Siting Board."

Land & Liberty Coalition field representative Nick Bundren was opposed to the resolution on the basis of the land owners' rights to what they want to do with their property.

"It's something that we're seeing all across Ohio," he said. "For our non-profit advocates for private property rights and renewable energy, the job's not finished. We're going to continue to fight the good fight."

The resolution doesn't necessarily mean the end of solar fields locally. Eastern Cottontail may be allowed to build in Walnut Township because it started its project before October 2021. That's when Gov. Mike DeWine signed Ohio Senate Bill 52 into law which mandated the numerous steps a company must follow to build a solar field.

Levacy said there is another proposed solar farm project near Amanda. However, any company wanting to build a solar field must first get approval from the OPSB. Eastern Cottontail placed an advertisement in the Eagle-Gazette on Sunday saying it wants to apply to the OPSB in the summer and possibly start operations as early as 2026.

The commissioners passed the resolution following a public hearing at the Liberty Center on Tuesday in which it appeared about 100 to 125 people or so attended. Several people spoke for the resolution restricting solar farms and several spoke against the resolution.

Hocking Township Trustee Gail Ellinger spoke in support of it.

"We were probably one of the last townships to pass a resolution restricting solar," she said. "I've put a lot of thought into and talked to a lot of residents. Because I do believe in property rights, but I also believe in property value rights, as well.

"From the constituents I've talked to in our township we have more opposing than we do in favor (of solar fields). Actually, I've not talked to one person that's in favor of it in our township. Even the farmers that I've talked to said they get solar offers every week, every two weeks. They said they are not interested in doing it."

Brian Compton also asked the commissioners to pass the resolution.

"I vote every time," he said. "My vote is always yes on the schools, fire, EMS, libraries, the parks. It's always a yes vote to better our community. But if you drive that first pylon it's going to decrease my home value by $200,000. And if that happens I will not have another yes vote for as long as I live. Sorry. That's what that would do to the community."

Joanie Miller spoke in opposition to the resolution restricting solar fields.

"All of the things that have been said today, I don't necessarily disagree with," she said. "But one of the things people have to understand is that farming is a business. My husband and his brother did not inherit land. They built their business from the ground up.

"They made good business decisions. And that's what we're talking about here, is making a business decision. People tell me that farming is a lifestyle. Yes, it is. But if you don't conduct your business well, you won't be living the lifestyle."

Chris Keller is under contract with a solar company. He said it's clear that development, including that with Intel, is coming here.

"It's like a brush fire and it's headed this way," Keller said. "And I don't think the solar is what people should be concerned about. We saw this as a way to preserve the farmland. Because we made sure that they wrote that at the end of the 20-year contract all infrastructure would be pulled and the farm would be turned back to farmland, which is what we're hoping for. Solar is a temporary measure until we get to more long-term energy solutions."

jbarron@gannett.com

740-681-4340

Twitter/X: @JeffDBarron

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Commissioners pass resolution for solar field exclusionary zones