By a single-vote margin, the Bellefontaine City Council Tuesday evening, May 27, passed an ordinance that will establish regulations and guidelines for both private and commercial solar generating facilities within the city limits.
The final vote was divided 4-3 in favor of the legislation, with Council Members John Aler, Jenna James and Kyle Springs voting against the measure.
Prior to the ordinance’s passage, solar-generating facilities were not addressed in the city code, prompting the legislation.
Plans are in place to construct a solar energy-generating facility on the city’s north side, some 200 acres that was once Duff’s Quarry, which the city is actively seeking to annex.
The ordinance will now allow the Planning Commission to offer recommendations on how the facilities must be designed regarding setbacks, drainage, boarders, fencing, elevations, landscaping, and especially any decommissioning of the panels, the latter being the reason that Council Member Springs chose to vote against the measure.
Listen to audio of council member Kyle Springs below
The council also passed a resolution Tuesday that announced the city’s withdrawal from a contact with the Regional Income Tax Agency (RITA), which has been collecting the city’s income taxes since 2015.
Mayor David Crissman said that RITA has been serving the city poorly, noting the Council’s unanimous vote to sever ties with RITA effective December 31, 2025 was an easy choice for the city.
Mayor David Crissman talks about RITA
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, members waived the three-reading rule and unanimously passed an ordinance increasing appropriations for the Oakland Square Park project from $256,500 to $456,500, and also passed, again without a dissenting vote, ordinances that will increase the tap and tie-in fees for sewer and water lines.
Passed on the second reading, with Council Members Aler and Springs voting no, was an ordinance accepting approximately 200 acres – the site of the Duff Quarry as noted above – into the city. The ordinance of annexation will be up for a third and final vote at the next council meeting.
Prior to voting on the legislation, Service/Safety Director Wes Dodds asked that the council to consider making Arnold Street (just south of Tim Horton’s) and Maple Street (between Advance Auto and Wendy’s) one way to the west, that is from Main Street to Detroit Street. Numerous complaints have been lodged with the city by residents of these streets, ranging from parking problems to limited sight lines when driving onto Main Street.
Relating to this issue, the city council streets committee has called a special meeting for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 3, in council chambers regarding designating Maple and Arnold Streets from two-way to one-way streets between Main and Detroit Street; and any other business that comes before this committee.
The Bellefontaine City Council meets again in regular session at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 10.
