Carroll County commissioners are working to tighten regulations banning solar facilities on county farmland, as companies turn to the state for approval and make an end run around county officials.

Community solar projects are prohibited on agricultural land in Carroll County. Eight solar companies have applied to the Maryland Public Service Commission to build on Carroll farmland. The state agency certifies and approves the siting of solar and wind energy projects and has the authority to override the county’s ban.

The eight solar projects are set to be built on farmland in Hampstead, Sykesville and Westminster.

“I think we need to be proactive with this,” Commissioners’ President Ken Kiler said during a public hearing Thursday. Kiler represents District 1.

Commissioners unanimously voted to allow comments on regulation changes for another 10 days before making a final decision.

The proposed changes to the code include, in part, reaffirming the county’s prohibition of industrial solar projects on agriculturally zoned land and requiring the projects to go through the county’s development review process.

Solar is allowed on properties zoned for commercial and industrial use in the county; the ban on farmland construction will continue.

“That’s not up for discussion,” said Chris Heyn, director of the county’s Department of Planning and Land Management. “We continue to maintain that stance. However, we’re all well aware the state can preempt our local zoning through through the Maryland Public Service Commission issuing a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity.

“There are several projects that are proceeding through that process,” Heyn said. “There are currently eight projects in Carroll County that are working through the Public Service Commission process. So, our desire was to look at our site design requirements and firm those up.”

Annette Fleishell, who lives on a 50-acre farm on Fannie Dorsey Road across from the proposed Spring Valley Solar 1 LLC project in Sykesville, spoke in opposition of constructing solar on agricultural land in Carroll. Fleishell said she’s not convinced the proposed changes to the county code would stop the state from approving the eight projects.

“What will the energy companies even care about what changes we make,” she said. “Unfortunately we have money and power against us.”

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