By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
In October, the Great Bend City Council sent new solar regulations back to the Planning Commission for recommended language changes for general liability insurance and the groundwater test. One of the important pieces of the regulations has been the setbacks, or how far back potential solar plants can be constructed from houses.
Great Bend City Administrator Logan Burns said the Planning Commission met last week to sort through those guidelines.
"Ultimately, the Planning Commission recommended a 1,000-foot setback from a property with a residential dwelling on the tract," said Burns. "That will be coming to the city council on Dec. 16 for consideration."
Earlier proposed regulations called for solar development to be 50 feet away from property lines, in some cases more.
Acciona Energy has shown interest to build solar plants near Cheyenne Bottoms, which would pay an average of $1.6 million in property tax back to Barton County each year and provide approximately 30 long-term jobs.
The Great Bend council will consider approval of solar regulations at the meeting on Dec. 16.