Westminster, MD, Thursday, May 18, 2023 – Today in Open Session, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners (BCC) voted to recommend the removal of subsection §158.153E  Solar Energy Generating Systems -Community solar energy generating systems (CSEGS), in agricultural zones- from the Carroll County Code and to forward the recommendation to the Planning and Zoning Commissioner for consideration.

County Director of Land and Resource Management Director Chris Heyn presented information and recommendations gathered from the six-member solar workgroup that was established in March.  The workgroup of stakeholders was tasked with studying the existing requirements in §158.153E and returning to the board with proposed recommendations for code changes. The group was to consider issues and concerns raised by the Board of Commissioners during the course of the community solar discussion since the initial proposal adoption and thereafter of the moratorium.

The commissioners’ recommendation will now be forwarded to the Carroll County Planning and Zoning Commission to be discussed at a yet-to-be-determined future meeting.

On March 9, 2023, the Board of County Commissioners adopted a six-month moratorium on the processing, review, permitting, and construction of community solar energy-generating systems

in the Agricultural Zone.

Open session meetings are available for viewing on the county meeting portal and the county YouTube channel. In addition, all meetings will be replayed on Comcast Channel 24.