NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP)— Clean and reusable energy was the prime subject of Tuesday’s September meeting of the city of North Platte Planning Commission.
The planning commissioners discussed solar panels and solar farms, along with regulations and where potential solar panels or farms can legally go legally under ordinance. City leaders wanted to get ahead of this growing trend as the city does not currently have any regulations or ordinances in place.
According to North Platte planning and zoning administrator Judy Clark, city leaders wanted to get ahead.
“Item number six and item number seven on the agenda have to do with solar farms. The city of North Platte does not currently have any regulations in the ordinance regarding the creation and the construction of solar farms, so we just found that it was kind of pertinent to get some of those in the regulations in case we do have some future developments with solar farms,” Clark said.
The planning commissioners also discussed a new potential project at North Platte Regional Airport. The airport’s management is requesting new locations for its towers.
These towers will help with aviation communication and weather information. The National Weather Service in North Platte uses the tower currently at the North Platte regional Airport to assist inn forecasting and predicting weather.
In order to have these towers, the airport must have multiple permits in order for them to operate.
“The airport is requesting to construct three telecommunication towers, it’s not that they would be actually new; they would be in a new location. They do have existing towers on site, and these are communications for aviation and weather purposes, and our regulations require that any telecommunication tower requires a conditional use purpose,” Clark said.
Both items regarding solar farms and the airport telecommunication towers on the planning commission agenda passed and will be presented to the city council for their meeting on Oct. 1.
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