York County Commissioners approve zoning for solar farm, creates ‘tough environment’ for project

YORK, Neb. (KLKN) — The York County Commissioners voted 3-2 to approve the zoning regulations surrounding a proposed 3,000-acre solar farm.

Dozens of community members came out to make their voices heard one last time, filling every seat in the room and pleading with commissioners.

“I moved out to York County to be surrounded by farm land, not an industrial solar park,” said Kirkland Doht, a York County resident.

SEE ALSO: York County hears from community members for and against upcoming solar farm boundaries

The zoning regulations in place include a half-mile setback from any homeowner who is not a willing partner and from platted subdivisions.

Other setbacks include 330 feet from cemeteries and 660 feet from state recreational areas.

Commissioners decided to adjust the setback from churches and schools, which was previously set to 660 feet and is now a half-mile.

“The regulations passed today that include half-a-mile setbacks from property lines are a defective ban on solar in this county,” said Lindsay Mauw, the Program Director at Conservation Nebraska. “They are too large of setbacks and completely zone it out, creating essentially unusable land across the entire county.”

SEE ALSO: York County Commissioners adopt zoning rules for 3,000-acre solar farm

Emotions ran high as many voiced concerns about what it could do to generational farms.

They also expressed how much the land means to the people of York County.

“It is our family legacy,” said Amy Poll, a York County resident. “My son is a fifth-generation farmer, and his cousin. They want their children, and we want to leave a legacy. My great-granddad and my dad and uncles did not work this hard to save our family farm for it to be taken over by a solar industry.”

SEE ALSO: York County Commissioners revisit 3,000-acre solar farm zoning rules

Omaha Public Power District owns the project. Dustin Marvel, the Government & Community Relations Manager, said the setbacks are disappointing.

But they will reevaluate and work to find an alternative pathway for the project.

“Today’s regulations that were passed certainly are difficult, and that creates a really tough environment for our project to continue,” Marvel said. “But we remain dedicated to that process, especially here in York County.”

OPPD also emphasized that agriculture and solar generation can go hand in hand for the benefit of the state, despite many disagreeing.

Another important reminder from OPPD is that all land used for renewable energy projects occurs on land that has been voluntarily leased.

Marvel spoke in front of the crowd, trying to reassure everyone that OPPD is not taking anyone’s land or condemning nonparticipating properties in any way.

“There’s very much an agricultural concept to solar generation, just like there is wind generation,” Marvel said. “So the idea that it is one or the other is misinformation. How we look at it is Nebraska needs both.”