ROBERTA NEE ADAMSStaff Writer

The Metro Moore County Council passed the proposed large solar farm moratorium on second reading at the March meeting, and set limits on the size of allowable solar farms.

Planning and Zoning chair Dexter Golden proposed a five acre limit after discussion at their last meeting. Robert Bracewell calculated the math and advised the council that one quarter acre would provide more than enough power for a household. Suggestions were made to restrict the size to one acre, and then to one quarter acre.

A vote was taken and passed to restrict solar farms larger than one quarter acre.

Bracewell then asked why the moratorium was set for five years. As a moratorium cannot be indefinite, the board had to specify the duration of the restriction. Amy Cashion answered that the five year period would give time to observe the Silicon Ranch solar farm to evaluate the impact on the county before making any permanent decisions for the future.