County holding meetings to address solar, land use, zoning and the comprehensive plan

Dubois County Commissioners plan to hold two upcoming public sessions: one on solar energy development, land use and zoning and a second on the continued development of the comprehensive plan.

The first meeting will likely impact how the comprehensive plan outlines the county’s views on developing comprehensive zoning.

With a solar development moratorium set to expire in December, commissioners said they want to get moving on developing policies governing future projects. As such, they plan on hosting an open forum from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28, at the Dubois County Health Department, 1187 South St. Charles Street, Jasper.

Commissioner Chad Blessinger explained that about 37% of respondents in the Comprehensive Plan survey want the county to discourage solar development, compared to just 7% who strongly support it. The survey has drawn 768 responses so far; most respondents self-identified as age 55 or older, though commissioners noted that figure is self-reported and unverified. About 35% of respondents are from unincorporated parts of the county.

The online survey, available in English and Spanish at duboiscountycomprehensiveplan.com, remains open to the public.

The upcoming forum is open to any resident who wants to weigh in on land use issues, particularly solar policy.

“My goal would be to keep my mouth shut and listen and make notes,” Blessinger said.

Commissioners are also discussing how to structure a land use committee to review and potentially revise the county’s existing solar ordinance, though they’ve opted to start the process with the July 28 open forum rather than settle a committee’s size or makeup first. An earlier proposal for an 11-member committee was set aside after Blessinger raised concerns that commissioner-appointed seats wouldn’t adequately represent public input.

Blessinger said the committee’s eventual work would include a close look at specific provisions in the solar ordinance.

“Are the setbacks not sufficient? Are there not enough protections for non-participating people?” Blessinger said, outlining the kinds of questions the committee would tackle.

The land use committee could also impact how the county moves forward with creating zoning. The county’s last foray into comprehensive zoning was in 1978. It was ultimately abandoned after residents pushed back against government oversight of their land.

Commissioners debated whether to bring in an outside land use attorney or planning firm to guide the process, or start with a community-driven open forum. Blessinger favored the public-first approach, while Commissioner Nick Hostetter noted the value of outside expertise.

“Sometimes those [outside firms], as an example, they’re going to bring up things … we wouldn’t necessarily know to even ask, because they’ve dealt with it before,” Hostetter said. “So that would be one benefit of using one of those companies or attorneys.”

Blessinger agreed, noting that they wouldn’t be able to move forward with anything without the services of a company specializing in zoning.

Jacy Lamb, a resident in attendance at the meeting, cautioned that any outside firm should be vetted for potential conflicts of interest, noting that at least one planning company under consideration had previously worked with Dubois Strong, the county’s economic development organization, in 2023.

Following the meeting next week, the county plans to host a meeting on the Comprehensive Plan scheduled for Aug. 5, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Thyen-Clark Cultural Center in Jasper. Commissioners and county staff will be stationed at individual tables covering topics such as housing, solar and infrastructure, with a summary wrap-up planned for 5:30 p.m.

Blessinger is clear that the Comprehensive Plan is a policy document, not a legal one, and won’t directly change county ordinances — but it will shape future decisions.

“If the policy for the county is we’re going to do a certain thing, then it would guide us into making those actions outside of the plan,” he said