Kentucky County Considers Solar Zoning Change to Advance Clean Energy Goals

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council will hear a zoning amendment that would allow large-scale solar on up to one percent of county land, including farmland, with agrivoltaic requirements. The measure aims to support the city's net-zero emissions plan and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, which currently supply over 90 percent of Kentucky's energy. Proponents say the solar output could match more than 30,000 rooftop installations while preserving agricultural use.

The proposed zoning text amendment before the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council would permit utility-scale solar arrays on no more than one percent of county land, with agricultural zoning included. A key condition requires agrivoltaic design, meaning solar panels must coexist with farming activities such as grazing or pollinator habitats, preserving soil health while generating electricity. The measure directly supports Lexington's Race to Net Zero initiative, which targets carbon neutrality by 2050.

Kentucky's energy mix remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels, accounting for over ninety percent of generation, a factor driving higher electricity costs and poorer air quality. The projected output from this limited land allocation would rival the generation of more than thirty thousand residential rooftop systems. Council sponsor Liz Sheehan noted that solar development in central Kentucky is inevitable, framing the amendment as a way to manage that transition with protective safeguards for farmland.