The Idaho Conservation League (ICL) has been closely following the Ada County Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z), which is poised to recommend changes to Ada County’s zoning ordinances, including ordinances related to solar energy facilities. The P&Z is considering multiple changes to its zoning ordinances on solar energy projects—some of which ICL supports, and others we do not.
Minimum project size
A positive change would be to reduce the minimum required property size for solar facilities from 40 acres to 10 acres, enabling smaller projects with fewer social and environmental impacts. This recommendation was not opposed in P&Z deliberations, so we are hopeful it remains.
Farmland
The P&Z initially recommended banning solar energy facilities on lands classified as “prime farmland”. Although protecting agricultural land is important, this ban unfairly singles out solar energy. Residential and commercial developments—which permanently remove land from agricultural use—are only “discouraged” in prime farmland. Recognizing this, ICL recommended the same use of the word “discouraged” for solar projects on prime farmland as for other developments on prime farmland. ICL and other clean energy advocates spoke out, and we appreciate that P&Z responded to this public input by revising the proposed solar ban in prime farmland to language that instead discourages such development.
However, another proposed change is raising alarm. P&Z expanded the categories of farmlands to which the ordinance would apply by also adding lands classified as “farmland of statewide importance” and “farmland of local importance”. Now, we are concerned that this policy of discouragement would apply to an even larger swath of farmland categories—covering a large area of the county. Many of these lands are marginal at best, yet the ordinance would result in solar energy development being discouraged across the vast majority of Ada County. The final amended language currently reads: “Solar facilities shall be strongly discouraged on prime farmland, farmland of statewide importance, and farmland of local importance.” This proposal would severely limit locations where solar energy projects are likely to receive approval. ICL hopes to see this change.
Idaho’s population and energy demands are rapidly increasing, and without developing clean energy at the local level, we risk falling behind. We must foster bold, forward-thinking policies today to secure cost-effective, clean energy for the future. Click here to view the full document with proposed amendments.
What Will Happen Next?
- July 28: ICL will host a prep session to assist with public testimony. This will happen at the ICL Boise office (710 N 6th. St.) at 6 PM.
- July 30: The Ada County Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the solar ordinance amendments. This hearing will be held at the Ada County Courthouse and begins at 6 PM.
How You Can Help
ICL appreciates that the P&Z Commission responded to public input by revising the proposed ban on solar facilities in prime farmland to language that discourages such development. At the same time, expanding the ordinance discouraging solar energy development in prime farmland to the other marginal, farmland categories is overly restrictive.
Make your voice heard! Take Action and submit a comment today and help shape Ada County’s energy future.
