In June 2022, the Board of County Commissioners approved amendments allowing utility-scale solar facilities in Johnson County. These amendments now allow such facilities, following specific regulations – as detailed in updates to Johnson County’s Rural Comprehensive Plan and zoning regulations.

The amendments approved by the BOCC followed a thorough process involving recommendations by the Planning Commission and input from the public. Utility-scale solar facilities, or USSFs, require a Conditional Use Permit for development, and need to follow guidelines regarding location, size, environmental impacts and more.

As outlined in the Rural Comprehensive Plan, if developed, USSFs will likely be located within the Rural zoning district, which holds the majority of very large parcels within the unincorporated area of the county. This district is intended for agricultural and low-density residential uses.

In order to uphold the rural character of these areas, USSFs should be designed to follow the typical agricultural development pattern of fields and pastures with existing treelines and stands of mature trees, with an emphasis on preserving existing vegetation and minimizing grading.

A Conditional Use Permit is required for development of a USSF, since this would permit a use not normally allowed in the county's zoning districts. The applicant would need to go through the applicable zoning board and then the BOCC for approval of the permit.

Updates to the Rural Comprehensive Plan identify key guidelines for development of USSFs within the RUR zoning district:

• Length of a Permit: A 25-year Conditional Use Permit term, with a one-time automatic extension for five years if the project remains compliant.
• Project Area: A Maximum Project Area of 2,000 acres, including a waiver option.
• Distance from a City: A 1.5-mile minimum distance from a city, including a waiver option.

• Protect rural character: adopt performance standards, including requirements for setbacks, screening, scale, height, noise, lighting, controlling sunlight glare and more.
• Protect parks and environment: encourage USSF locations away from parks, trails, and environmentally sensitive areas, and require a visual impact analysis,  environmental impact assessment, wildlife corridors, setbacks, stormwater management and more.
• Support future development: encourage USSF locations away from existing and future residential areas, adopt buffer zones and setbacks, establish permit term limits, protect land areas for future development, coordinate with city plans and more.
• Stay fiscally responsible: minimize potential burdens on taxpayers by requiring applicants to provide surety for decommissioning.
• Protect from fire hazards: regulate battery energy storage through coordination with local emergency services and conformance with fire codes and standards.

Application Process

A Conditional Use Permit must be approved before development of a USSF takes place. Each Conditional Use Permit application should include:

• a solar facility report detailing the project
• a development plan with the Project Area and details of all proposed structures, and
• a decommissioning and reclamation plan.

The applicant must hold a neighborhood meeting to give the community a chance to hear from the applicant and ask questions (all property owners within 1,000 feet of the proposed USSF). A public hearing would then be held by the zoning board, before the item would go on to the BOCC for a final decision.