County commissioners, planners discuss solar regulations

The Jackson County Commission and the Jackson County Planning Commission met Monday afternoon to review open meetings and records guidelines, as well as discuss the process for developing a special use permit for commercial solar energy projects.

The county commission, which includes Dan Brenner, Mark Pruett and Keith Kelly, met with the planning commission, which includes Willy Wilson (chair), Jonathan Wimer, Ginger Rodvelt, Steven Willett, Delbert Boling, Marje Cochren and Victoria Gilliland. 

Also present was County Counselor Lee Hendricks, Jackson County Appraiser Kate Immenschuh and Jackson County Clerk Kristie Richter. 

During the first hour of the two-hour meeting, Hendricks discussed Kansas Open Meetings Act and Kansas Open Records Act guidelines and outlined what is and what is not allowed regarding the two acts. 

Hendricks also reported that he and county commissioners plan to spend the next few months developing the “framework” for a special use permit for commercial possible solar projects. 

Hendricks and the county commissioners are looking at solar regulations currently in place in Kingman County, as well as other counties, including Johnson and Douglas.

“There isn’t a jumping off point to allow large scale solar energy projects in the county’s current regulations. Whether you are in favor of setting something up or not, the county needs to have something. Because right now there’s not much,” Hendricks said. 

Once Hendricks and the commissioners have drafted some regulations, they’ll be sent to members of the planning commission for review and to “fine tune.”

For more information on this and other stories, please log in to your holtonrecorder.net account and select “May 10, 2023” under “E-Editions.”