After nearly a year of lobbying by a citizens’ committee seeking to stop the spread of solar projects on agricultural land, the Coolidge City Council has approved two zoning amendments that remove solar facilities for the list of approved uses.
The first amendment removes the Solar Farm classification from approved uses in Agricultural zoning districts. The second creates an Industrial Solar Farm Overlap Zone that identifies solar farm-appropriate development in the city.
Before the amendments first began making their way through the municipal process in November, the Coolidge Planning and Zoning Commission approved three solar projects on more than 4,100 acres. After the projects advanced, the citizens’ group started a petition drive in support of amending the zoning regulations.
Debate and comment during the City Council meeting became heated at times, but in the end, the opponents won out. Solar project representatives in attendance pledged to work with citizens and local leaders to advance their coming projects in accordance with local wishes and guidelines. (Source)