Members of Meade County Fiscal Court found a balance in the recent review of the solar ordinance during their regular meeting Tuesday (5/11) night.
Magistrates have been reviewing an amendment to the solar ordinance the past few months which sparked a lot of discussions about how solar energy fit into the county’s landscape. During Tuesday night’s meeting, a final revision was unanimously approved by magistrates requiring set backs of 50 feet from perimeter property lines; 250 feet from any residential structures; and limits the size of a solar farm to 1,200 acres. Solar operators would also have to provide a bond of 100% of the decommission costs for the end of the project. Representatives from Nextera Energy and Community Energy which have active plans and investment into land rights or land purchases to bring solar projects to the county both agreed to the updated standards. The new standards would not be required of electrical substations as some previous discussions had suggested.
Nextera Energy is a Florida based company who is working to develop a 200 mega watt solar farm near Irvington. (Above Picture) Community Energy is Pennsylvania based company, partnering with Big Rivers Electric Corporation to construct a 40 mega watt solar farm near between Big Spring and Stith Valley. (Below Picture)
In other business, Fiscal Court approved the appointments of Wesley Prather and Allen Stivers to the Meade County Water District, Chris Logsdon as a trustee to the Meade County Fire Protection District; Bonita French and Michelle Sanders to the Ekron Fire Department Board of Trustees. Magistrates discussed a $10,000 funding request from the Meade County Pets In Need Society. As a result of the discussion, magistrates voted to provide the typically budgeted $2,500 to the non profit group for their efforts. Fiscal Court also approved a $5,000 request for a local match program for the Central Kentucky Community Action. The program is to assist local community members.
The court approved several items for the Solid Waste and Recycling Center which include seeking bids for a five trucks. They also approved moving forward with the installation of a 250 feet by 30 feet tall net system to contain litter from the center next to a property line which borders a newly developed RV park. The cost of netting and support poles is estimated to be around $25,000. Fiscal Court may look into planning for a future building to assist with the issue.
Fiscal Court opened and approved the lowest bid for dump trucks and a sweeper pending if the bids meet all specifications for the County Road Department. They also heard the first reading of the proposed 2021-22 Fiscal Year Budget which totals $22,733,985. The second reading of the budget is expected at their June regular meeting.
Judge Executive Leslie Stith read a proclamation declaring May as Community Action Month, along with a proclamation setting May 16 through 22 as Emergency Medical Services Week. Fiscal Court accepted the resignation of Mike Wise as EMS Director and Dr. Eric Yazel as EMS Medical Director. Wise has served Meade County EMS 38 years and has been director the past few years. He plans to continue as a part time paramedic. Yazel has served as medical director the past 4 years.
You can watch the entire regular meeting of the Meade County Fiscal Court in our “On Demand” section.
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