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Meeting for their regular monthly meeting Tuesday, March 12, the Linn County Planning Commission discussed commercial solar after hearing from opponent Mark Briggs who was given five minutes to address the nine member board.

Briggs recounted responses the anti-solar group received stating to the commission, “There were 256 testimonies with seven proponents, three neutral and 246 opponents – 96 percent of the respondents didn’t want industrial solar in Linn County.”

He continued and said that of those attending the public forum earlier in the month, 82 percent did not want industrial solar in Linn County.

Briggs told the Planning Commission that people did not understand the solar question on the comprehensive plan questionnaire and said, “The people have shown you what they want.”

He continued and outlined the necessity to protect the rural character of the county, maximize the beauty for tourism and encourage conservation of wildlife areas, among other points.

In a written comment to the commission, Briggs read, “Currently there are 212 counties across the country and four counties that have a prohibition on industrial solar in Kansas. Many other counties are in a moratorium and have been following our meetings closely over the past several months. Linn County would be the fifth county in Kansas to place a prohibition on industrial solar.”

Planning Commission member David Fisher asked the commission, “How do we wrap up the ad hoc deal?” He referenced the Linn County Commissioner request for a committee comprised of pro, anti and a county official to formulate a plan to move the county forward over the stalemate that was occurring and help the commissioners decide on a plan.

Planning Commission Chair Paul Porter said, “We need a plan moving forward, we’re not in a position tonight with timing and time in this meeting; I agree, we need steps moving forward to make more concrete decisions. We need to finish out the ad hoc committee.”

Commission member Daniel Earnest said, “We’ve spent an enormous amount of time on this; we need to get a feel where we’re at – we need a prohibition on. I make a motion to put a vote tonight and put a prohibition on.”

Commission member Joab Ory seconded the motion.

Fisher said he was in step with what Earnest said but commented that they need to work on a solid plan and “we’ve not at that point.”

He continued, “We need to get past the ad hoc committee and I.D. where we are and get the differences to Planning and Zoning.”

Earnest said that they needed to vote on prohibition, “If we don’t come to a consensus then we are spinning our wheels.”

Commission member Charlene Sims said, “We need to postpone until after the ad hoc, it’s the logical way to go.”

Porter said, “One of my biggest concerns is timing and we’re totally juggling timing; when push comes to shove we work for the commissioners.”

“We need to finish the process, if for nothing but integrity, it’s worth one more meeting,” he said. “The commissioners are on their back feet trying to deal with the lack of a county counselor. This is the biggest decision of a decade, we’ll need significant legal review because there is a lot of tension on both sides. We’re in a vulnerable position and I don’t want to feel rushed; whatever decision we make needs to be solid – time is our friend.”

Porter said, “A vote tonight puts unnecessary pressure on the gears.”

With that discussion ensued amongst members on how to juggle the last ad hoc meeting, get a public notice in the Linn County News giving 10-day notice of the next Planning Commission meeting and have a solid plan in place.

The motion Earnest made was on the table and had been seconded; so Porter went through three options Roberts Rule of Order gave including Earnest withdraw his motion, postpone the decision to a certain time or vote on the motion on the table.

The Commission approved 6-3 to hold the last ad hoc committee meeting Wednesday, March 20, publish the legal notice March 20 and hold the question of banning commercial solar for their regular Tuesday, April 9 meeting.

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