Solar Regs Eyed For Early Next Year

SALISBURY – Officials say they plan to bring proposed solar regulations before the Wicomico County Council early next year.

In a work session with council member last month, Planning, Zoning and Community Development Director Lori Carter and county attorney Paul Wilber presented an update on proposed solar regulations.

“Staff has been working with legal to develop legislation on solar,” Wilber said. “It will have to go to the Planning Commission, as required, and then from … it will come back here to the council.”

In 2020, Councilman Bill McCain brought the issue of solar development in rural areas to the council’s attention, arguing the importance of having regulations in the county’s zoning code before major solar energy projects came to Wicomico. And by August of that year, the council agreed to explore potential solar regulations with the county’s planning and zoning department.

“A lot of companies coming here want to know what the playing field is,” Councilman John Cannon said at the time. “I think it’s important to establish that to a certain degree.”

Back on the agenda for discussion last month, Wilber noted the Planning Commission would consider proposed solar legislation, but only after viewing proposed zoning amendments for dissolved air flotation (DAF) agricultural storage tanks.

Carter agreed, saying, “Hopefully we can get this moving toward the Planning Commission, and we can be back to you guys hopefully sometime in March.”

Carter noted planning and zoning staff have looked at five other counties in developing solar regulations.

“I think one of the good things about this is lots of other counties have already done this,” McCain added. “A lot of the work has been done. We’re not reinventing the wheel by any stretch of the imagination.”

Council President Larry Dodd questioned if existing solar farms had to follow any regulations.

“We’re seeing a lot of the smaller plots of land popping up with solar panels,” he said. “Do they fall under any type of legislation? Do they need permits or anything?”

Zoning Administrator Clark Meadows noted large solar projects required the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity through the Public Service Commission, charged with reviewing and approving new electric generation projects in the state. But smaller facilities – two megawatts or lower, he added – fell under the county’s jurisdiction.

“They are by special exception under most zoning districts, through the Board of Appeals.,” he said. “All the pertinent inspections and permits by public works and planning and zoning apply.”

About The Author: Bethany Hooper

Alternative Text

Bethany Hooper has been with The Dispatch since 2016. She currently covers various general stories. Hooper graduated from Stephen Decatur High School in 2012 and the University of Maryland in 2016, where she completed double majors in journalism and economics.