By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
With a 7-1 vote Monday, the Great Bend City Council approved a request to have their planning commission to begin work on amending zoning to include solar farms.
Acciona Energy approached the Barton County Commission in January 2023 about placing a solar farm to the northeast of Great Bend. With part of the area within the three-mile jurisdiction of Great Bend, Acciona presented to the city council last month.
While Barton County is figuring out their zoning and regulations for solar farms, city councilmembers Alan Moeder and Cory Urban sorted out the city’s involvement.
"I'd hate to see our planning commission spend any time on this until the county makes a decision," said Moeder. "If the county says no way, we're just wasting all of our time."
"Not necessarily," responded Urban. "We control within three miles of the city. It's not just for this project. It's for all solar projects."
City Administrator Brandon Anderson said he was informed that the county expects to have something by the end of the month. The Barton County Commission will then choose to accept the regulations or send them back for revisions.
The solar farm is intended to be placed just south of Cheyenne Bottoms and would take 16 to 24 months to construct.
When the city’s planning commission completes the zoning changes, the amendment will go back to the council for consideration.