Council defers solar energy zoning changes after public opposition and pending state rule changes

Dorchester County Council on March 5 held a public hearing on Bill No. 2024‑2, a proposed rewrite of county zoning to define and regulate community, large, medium and small‑scale solar energy systems, and agreed to defer action pending expected state rule changes.

Planning & Zoning Director Susan Webb told the council the State of Maryland is poised to revise solar regulations in April and those changes may affect the county bill. Multiple public commenters opposed the proposed local rules and urged the council to reconsider scale and permitting provisions. Speakers recorded in the minutes included James McCullough of RWE Clean Energy; Leah Meredith, Mid‑Atlantic senior manager for the Solar Energy Industries Association; resident Charles Edmondson; representative Maya Molina for Project Fairview; and resident James Williamson.

Minutes record that Project Fairview testimony prompted Webb to state the project would fall under current legislation and therefore not be subject to the proposed bill. After public comment, the council agreed to defer action on Bill No. 2024‑2 until the pending state legislation is resolved.

The minutes do not provide the bill text nor summarize the specific regulatory points opposed by commenters; the record notes stakeholder concern about scale and size requirements and the timing of state changes. Further details and any amended county language will be available when the council takes the item up again.