The Sedgwick County Commission continues work on proposed unified zoning code updates for potential commercial and industrial-scale solar farms.
Virginia-based Berkley Group, a solar-energy consulting firm, reviewed amendments to the county's solar code, originally adopted in 2019. The code includes definitions, standards, and requirements, including solar panel height above ground and the size of projects allowed.
Scott Wadle from the planning department said there is a considerable amount of land available in the unincorporated areas of the county for potential projects, over 110 thousand acres in the southwest part alone.
The commission deferred a vote on the amendments until August 14th. A moratorium on solar project applications continues until September. The commission took nearly 2 hours and 20 minutes to discuss the issue Wednesday and heard community feedback as well.
Sedgwick County has selected a site for a regional mental health hospital.
At Wednesday's meeting, county commissioners selected an 11.72 acre-site, donated by the Lange Community Foundation, located near MacArthur and Meridian.
Total funding for the three-phase project will cost the state of Kansas $107 million. The county says construction should begin in February 2025 and be completed by August 2026.
In other news, Sedgwick County administration offices will continue to call the downtown Ruffin Building their home, at least for three more years.
The lease on the space was set to expire in June of 2025. With no firm plans yet on a new home for administration, the county negotiated a new three-year lease that's set to expire in June 2028. It will cost the county $870 thousand per year to rent the space. The county could potentially leave after June 2027 with a 90-day notice.