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GOSHEN TOWNSHIP -- Township trustees discussed a potential ban on large-scale wind and solar farms within the township in its September meeting.
Board of Trustees Chairman John Bricker said that trustees had received a request from the Mahoning County Commissioners to pass a resolution requesting the commissioners ban the construction of any "economically significant" wind farms and solar facilities on unincorporated land in the township as defined by Ohio Revised Code 305.58. This echoes recent initiatives by townships across Columbiana County and the Columbiana County Commissioners. Trustee Shawn Mesler said that the Mahoning County township trustees were looking to complete the ban and the required advertisement of and hearings for a potential ban for all the townships in the county at once rather than the piecemeal approach taken in the Columbiana County bans.
"They're kind of following the template that Columbiana County had set prior to us. They were slow, so all the townships didn't do it at the same time; some did it, then some others would come along and do it, and I believe that all the townships in Columbiana County ultimately did it, but it made it harder on the county commissioners there because they had to have all those separate hearings and separate postings. So that's why they're asking us to make decisions on this," said Mesler.
The Ohio Revised Code defines an economically significant wind farm as "wind turbines and associated facilities with a single interconnection to the electrical grid and designed for, or capable of operation at an aggregate capacity of five or more megawatts but less than fifty megawatts." A large wind farm is defined as "an electric generating plant that consists of wind turbines and associated facilities with a single interconnection to the electrical grid that is a major utility facility." A large solar facility is defined as an "electric generating plant that consists of solar panels and associated facilities with a single interconnection to the electrical grid that is a major utility facility." Revised code also specifies a major utility facility as any "electric generating plant and associated facilities designed for, or capable of, operation at a capacity of fifty megawatts or more."
Trustees were reticent to move forward with the request, with all three trustees noting that they understood arguments both against and in favor of the ban. Bricker also noted that he was reluctant to encourage restrictions on what people in the township could do with their property.
"I understand where they're coming from; it's taking away good farm ground. But then on the same token, we pay taxes on our ground, and essentially, they're telling me I can't do something with it. I see both sides, I'm torn," said Bricker.
Mesler cited concerns that many of the other townships in the county had expressed intent to pass the motion at their meetings that month in accordance with the commissioner's intentions to take county-wide action. Trustees also noted that the power to make the ban in question ultimately fell to the commissioners, and a belief that even should they elect not to make the request they could potentially be overturned by the commissioners.
While Bricker cited a desire to potentially table the matter for a month, he said that if the rest of the board felt they should act that night he would not be opposed. Trustees ultimately passed the resolution unanimously with the motion made by Mesler and seconded by Teresa Stratton.
The trustees will meet next at 7 p.m. Oct. 10.