Gage County Meetings

By Don Schuller 5-26-23 County Committee meeting:Planning and ZoningThere was discussion about whether the proposed setbacks for solar regulations are too restrictive. I stated the setbacks are larger than necessary. No other county in Nebraska or the United States, for that matter, has this restrictive of regulations. According to Center of Rural Affairs there are no health or safety benefits to the setbacks proposed in these regulations.Road and BridgeHighway Superintendent Mark Kuhnke said there will be a correction milling this summer on the blacktop road to Rockford Lake from Highway 136. This milling operation is in the next fiscal year’s budget, which begins July first. It will be armor coated in the following budget fiscal year.I told Kuhnke I recently traveled the road between the Odell Catholic Cemetery and Highway 112. One inch rock had been recently applied which made the road difficult to travel. Kuhnke indicated it needed rocked. I prefer it be graveled.5-31-23 Regular Meeting:I was pleased to see people from Island Grove Township present at today’s meeting. They were present to obtain information on the proposed swine operation in section 25.Planning and Zoning (P & Z) Administrator Lisa Wiegand explained no special use permit application has been submitted to the county for the Island Grove swine operation. Wiegand reviewed information for the Hanover swine operation owned and operated by the same people. The operations are proposed to be identical.Representatives from Summit Pork will be contacting neighboring landowners and residences to explain their plans and answer any questions they may have.Results have not returned on the perched water table test on the Hanover Township operation. No vote will occur until this determination is addressed by the state.Chief Probation Officer Melanie Stormer gave a presentation on the District 1 community supervision of those on probation. She explained what probation does. Their office is located in and paid for by Gage County.County Attorney Roger Harris asked the board to approve the Southeast Nebraska Drug Court Inter-local Agreement for 2023-2024. The program helps get people started in a productive life. The agreement was approved unanimously.Solar regulations:Solar regulation discussion to approve or disapprove commenced. Chairman Erich Tiemann asked for a motion to amend the proposed regulations in any industry wanting to have a solar array for their own use, with no electricity going on the grid, be exempt from other commercial setbacks. He felt it would be in the county’s best interest not to require industry to have to apply for two permits, one for the industrial facility itself and another for the solar array. The same regulations would apply for solar panels as other structures on the industrial grounds.Supervisor Gary Lytle moved with Supervisor Eddie Dorn seconding the motion to amend the regulations as such.Supervisor Emily Haxby attempted amendments on the amendment to keep industrial solar arrays on property contiguous to the industrial property or within a one mile radius. On three of Haxby’s motions to amend were seconded by Supervisor Dave Swavely, but failed each time with a vote of 2 to 5, with Haxby and Swavely voting yes. There were two amendments moved by Haxby that received no second.I suggested several times that we discuss setbacks for commercial solar for non-participating residence before pursuing setback regulations for industrial sites, churches, school, parks, etc. I stated that if the setbacks for non-participants were reduced it could affect how I vote on the other setbacks. Chairman Tiemann continued to move on with proposed amendments.Tiemann went back to the initial amendment to allow exception for a self-using industry. Motion carried 5 to 2 with Haxby and I voting no. I voted no because I feel zoning regulations need to be the same for all industry on the grid or not. In this I agree with Haxby. I voted no on Haxby’s amendments because they left intact the proposed large setbacks. I believe it is important to set reasonable regulations for all solar.I pointed out that the commercial solar industry is valuable to the economy of Gage County just as is any industry that may inhabit an industrial park, if not more so. I said county zoning regulations need to fit the entire county and meet our goals using minimal regulations.I made the motion, seconded by Lytle, to establish all commercial setbacks at 500 feet from a non-participating residence and 200 feet from a property line, leaving the setbacks for churches, schools, Homestead National Monument, etc. as amended. This also would accommodate standalone industry by eliminating the need to address it separately. This would make our regulations still more restrictive than other Nebraska counties. The motion was seconded but failed with a 1 to 6 vote, with mine being the only yes vote.Haxby wanted to leave the regulations as forwarded to the board from P & Z, or to increase the setbacks. Other board members gave much consideration and thought to the idea of reducing some of the proposed setbacks. The majority of the board believes the approved regulations will leave the door open to solar industry. Ultimately, I voted in favor of the solar regulations because I trust in the other supervisors’ judgment on this.

Russell Schultis

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