By HOLLY GASKILL
On Wednesday, the Wells County Council will review a possible ordinance prohibiting tax abatements for solar energy companies.
The council agreed to move forward with a resolution or ordinance about this issue at their monthly meeting on June 4. Separately, the council agreed to a special session in light of a compliance waiver needed for a prospective tax abatement with Heartland REMC.
The special session was scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Wells County Carnegie Annex — the agenda also includes the consideration of a utility-scale solar tax abatement prohibition ordinance.
In their June 4 discussion, council members expressed their support of a ban to “send a message” to solar companies about the county’s interest in solar energy development. Council members Seth Whicker and Brandon Harnish noted that should future council members hold different perspectives, it would add another step for approval of tax abatement agreements with solar energy companies.
Whicker concluded the conversation by saying he would pursue the “more restrictive” path in preparing a proposal with County Attorney Ted Storer.
According to a Facebook post from Harnish, the proposed ordinance prohibits “the filing, processing, review, consideration, and granting of all applications for tax abatement and other subsidies that relate to large-scale commercial solar or other alternative energy generation, storage systems, or facilities.”
An ordinance of this nature would not prohibit solar companies from continuing through the development process but would exclude them from receiving a reduction in property taxes through an abatement.
holly@news-banner.com
