By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
Tallahassee lawmakers passed a bill last week blocking local governments from disallowing solar projects on agricultural lands solely because the project would be located in an agricultural designation.
Gov. Ron DeSantis can sign or veto the bill.
The bill requires solar facilities to be a permitted use in all agricultural land use categories in a local government’s comprehensive plan and all agricultural zoning districts within an unincorporated area.
“Counties would be preempted from disallowing a solar project on agricultural land solely because it’s located in an agricultural land designation,” the bill says.
The bill wouldn’t apply to solar farm projects submitted to a local government before July 1. Two solar farm projects in northern Levy County have been submitted to the Development Department for review. A third hasn’t been submitted.
Bronson also has a solar farm proposed within the city limits but the property that was given to the town by the Suwannee River Water Management District for wastewater-related purposes and may not be usable for a solar project.
Levy County has approved one solar farm project near Chiefland. The facility will produce 74.9 megawatts of electricity from sunlight.
Many counties, including Levy County, approve solar farms through a conditional use or special exception process.
Uncertainty remains concerning the extent to which local governments are preempted from using their zoning, permitting, public input process and, “responsible energy and growth management processes” to review solar projects.
“Additional environmental justice concerns remain against historically disadvantaged and minority communities in rural areas,” a Florida legislative analysis of the bill stated.
County Commissioner Matt Brooks said Tuesday it was his understanding from what he has read about the bill the county could only regulate “buffering” and enforce “small type regulations.”
He was speaking at the Levy County Commission meeting.
“There won’t be any overarching regulations we can do. It will be directed by the state,” he said.
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Board of County Commission Regular Meeting May 4, 2021; Posted May 5, 2021
