Solar moratorium hearing scheduled

Stories in this Regional News Roundup are excerpted from weekly newspapers from around the region. This is part one, with part two scheduled to appear in Sunday’s Tribune.

COLFAX — Whitman County Commissioners scheduled public hearings on two land-use issues during the regular June 1 meeting.

The land-use issues include a proposed extension of the solar and battery storage moratorium and updates to the critical areas ordinance.

The hearing on extending the county solar energy and battery storage moratorium and interim controls is set for June 15.

The county adopted the moratorium while officials review regulations for utility-scale solar and battery storage projects.

Commissioners also received the official transmittal of proposed amendments to the county’s critical areas ordinance and scheduled a hearing on the updates for June 29.

Planning staff said the review is required under the state Growth Management Act.

The review includes revisions based on agency comments and updated state regulations.

Officials said many of the proposed changes are relatively minor and much of the existing ordinance remains unchanged.

The public hearing on the critical areas ordinance amendments is scheduled for 10:15 a.m., Monday, June 29 in the commission chambers of the Whitman County Courthouse.