Supervisors hear update on proposed planning and zoning recommendations

Holt County Supervisors will contemplate additions and changes to planning and zoning regulations during an Oct. 31 public hearing at the courthouse in O’Neill.

Planning and zoning officer Mike Durre told supervisors, during the board’s Sept. 29 meeting, five regulations will be under consideration, including language about unregistered wells; setbacks; crude oil, tarsands, and affluents; carbon dioxide pipelines; solar farms and wind energy.

Planning and zoning board member Mary Kaczor said a Band-Aid on current regulations was put in place since a proposed moratorium failed in March.

Supervisors will consider new regulations on carbon dioxide pipleines and solar farms

“If you vote these through, they would become laws now,” she said.

The next step will be for the planning and zoning board to review to the current comprehensive plan, which was penned in 1980.

“Once we get through the comprehensive plan and see where the county is at and see where they want to head and what feelings are on some of this stuff, we will relook at everything we’ve done here (proposed regulations),” Kaczor said.

Directional variances for wind and solar policies were mentioned as potential changes when the policies are revisited.

Bill Tielke, supervisors’ chairman, said it is important to not create regulations that are too strict, stunting potential growth.

Kaczor said she understands his concerns.

“I’m saying let’s slow this down until we get through this comprehensive plan and then let’s look at the way these directional things go and dig into it,” Kaczor said. “I expect once we get this comprehensive plan, we’ve got to sit down and dig down in the dirt ... get down to the brass tacks on everything.”