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LISBON -- Columbiana County commissioners hosted another public hearing regarding a ban on construction of large solar facilities and large wind farms, this time for the unincorporated areas of Butler, Center, Middleton, Salem, Unity, Wayne and Washington townships.
No decision was made Wednesday, with Commissioner Roy Paparodis, president of the board, announcing that written comments on the proposed ban can be submitted to the commissioners' office until 4 p.m. May 5 at 105 S. Market St., Lisbon, Ohio 44432.
Commissioners already approved a ban of the large solar facilities and wind farms in unincorporated areas of Fairfield, Franklin, Perry and West townships. State law allows the commissioners to adopt a resolution designating all or part of an unincorporated area of the county as a restricted area, with the commissioners preferring townships submit resolutions asking for the ban if that's what they want.
Out of 18 townships in the county, the ban has been approved for four, with the most recent public hearing for an additional seven. Hanover and Knox townships have submitted resolutions requesting the ban, but they haven't been accepted yet by commissioners.
Commissioner Tim Weigle said the board wants to see if any more step forward with resolutions before setting another public hearing. Only five more townships remain that have not submitted resolutions one way or the other: Yellow Creek, Liverpool, Elkrun, Madison and St. Clair.
Since the Kensington Solar project in Franklin Township had already been submitted to the Ohio Power Siting Board before the law took effect allowing the bans, that project can't be stopped by the commissioners' decision for the ban in Franklin Township. The project remains pending before the Ohio Power Siting Board.
During the hearing Wednesday, only three people made comments, with comments read into the record on behalf of a fourth person who couldn't attend the meeting. The first to speak, Center Township resident Illa Lawrence, said "I am against it. That's all I have to say."
Center Township Trustee Rex Underwood said the trustees aren't against energy, they're just trying to look out for the township, which was the reason for passing the resolution asking for the ban.
Comments from Lisbon resident Stevie Halverstadt, who spoke out against the ban during the first public hearing, were read where she again spoke against the banning of wind and solar. She talked about water being used for fracking and being poisoned for the return of oil and gas, with water being taken away and not able to be replenished.
"And now comes wind and solar, tapping sun power and wind power to create energy, clean energy. And those who profit from gas and oil want to ban something safe, and continue to waste our greatest resource, water, which can never be recovered. What future are we giving our children? Horrible, when there are alternatives available," she wrote.
Salem Township resident Tom Butch said he's against the ban, adding that he doesn't like these large solar projects like the one in Kensington, but he thinks solar is needed.
"We should have solar panels on every roof top if possible," he said.
He spoke highly of plans in East Liverpool for solar, noting in written comments to the commissioners that he doesn't like "these large utility-scale solar facilities because they upset a lot of local landowners and they tie up a lot of land for many year. But, they do work just fine in some locations."
Butch also said "this ban is the taking of private property rights. This is zoning and zoning can only be approved by voters by state law."
Weigle questioned Butch on his support of the Western Reserve Land Conservancy, saying 898 acres is controlled by the conservancy, with use of the land very restrictive.
"What we're doing here isn't restrictive," Weigle said.
Butch said most of the land controlled by the conservancy is along Little Beaver Creek, which is a wild and scenic river, and those pieces of land were purchased by the conservancy.
"We want to protect that natural corridor," he said.
Weigle said there's a lot of open field, too, controlled by the conservancy easements, but Butch said most are for agricultural purposes and agriculture is one of the leading industries in the county.