Commission backs retail-size and solar‑use corrections to county use table; preserves buffer authority for solar

The Levy County Planning Commission voted on April 27 to recommend changes to the land‑use table that would allow retail stores larger than 15,000 square feet in higher‑intensity commercial and industrial zones and to correct the solar‑facility use entry to reflect state law.

Planning staff said the county's use table currently caps retail at 15,000 sq ft and that the Board of County Commissioners directed staff to allow larger retail in appropriate higher commercial districts. The commission agreed the corrected table should permit larger retail in zoning districts C3, C4 and industrial (removing RMU), and asked staff to clarify phrasing (for example, use "over 15,000 sq ft" to avoid overlap at exactly 15,000). Commissioner questions focused on why 15,000 was the legacy cap; staff said it stemmed from prior code language adopted in 2023.

On solar facilities, staff explained Florida Statute 163.3205 requires solar facilities be permitted in agricultural land‑use categories; the proposed table edits reflect that requirement. Commissioners and staff emphasized that, although the state limits the ability to deny such projects on ag land, listing solar as a conditional use in the table gives the county a procedural path to require setbacks, buffers and site standards (for example, vegetation buffers and decommissioning assurances) rather than losing all local standards.

After public comment that expressed concern about large solar fields on agricultural land and their permanence, Commissioner (speaker 6) moved that the planning commission recommend the table amendments (retail threshold and solar corrections) to the Board of County Commissioners and, to the extent necessary, recommend denial of the private recreation language discussed earlier. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously.

The commission asked staff to refine the draft language (clear threshold wording and corrected district entries) before it is transmitted to the Board of County Commissioners.