AGENDA -27 April 2026 Dearborn County Plan Commission Plus Possible Resolution on Citizen Advisory Committee and DRAFT Unofficial Meeting OUTLINE is at the end of this posting.
Citizens:
This is a friendly reminder that there is a Plan Commission meeting on Monday, April 27th at 6:00pm and it will be held at the Dearborn County Government Center.
In this email I have attached the agenda. I have also attached an outline of discussions for the meeting. The first item of discussion will be regarding whether or not the Plan Commission will create a Citizen Advisory Committee. So, depending on the decision, will depend on the next items of discussion. If the Plan Commission does vote to form a Citizen Advisory Committee, they must do so by a Resolution. Also attached is a draft resolution created by staff that has been sent to the Plan Commission for discussion, changes, etc. I have also attached the narrative provided by Bobby Rauen on his suggestion of a Citizen Advisory Committee which has also been forwarded to the Plan Commission for review.
I have also attached collected comments from March 24 through April 24 that has also been emailed to the Plan Commission.
Please feel free to share and forward to anyone that may have not requested to be on the email list.
Sincerely,
Nicole Daily
Director of Planning and Zoning
Floodplain Administrator
T: 812-537-8821 | F: 812-532-2029
Dearborn County Government Center
Dearborn County Planning and Zoning Department
165 Mary Street
Lawrenceburg, IN 47025
Website: www.dearborncounty.org/
Plan Commission:
Dennis Kraus Jr., President Elected, County Surveyor 01/01/2025 to 12/31/2028
Mark Lehmann, Vice President Appointed by Commissioners 01/01/2024 to 12/31/2027
Eric Lang Appointed by Commissioners 01/01/2026 to 12/31/2029
Russell Beiersdorfer Appointed by Commissioners 01/01/2024 to 12/31/2027
Joe Vogel Appointed by Commissioners 01/01/2022 to 12/31/2026
Jake Hoog Appointed by Commissioners 01/01/2025 to 12/31/2028
Jim Thatcher Elected, County Commissioner Appointed 01/01/2025 to 12/31/2028
Dan Lansing Elected, County Council Appointed 01/01/2026 to 12/31/2026
Sabrina Gregory Appointed, Cooperative Extension Office 01/01/2026 to 12/31/2029
PLAN COMMISSION AGENDA Monday, April 27, 2026 6:00 P.M.
*Location: Dearborn County Government Center 165 Mary Street, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025
A. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
B. ROLL CALL
C. ACTION ON MINUTES—September 22, 2025, January 25, 2021, October 25, 2021, December 20, 2021, May 20, 2019
D. OLD BUSINESS – NONE
E. NEW BUSINESS – NONE
F. ADMINISTRATIVE—
Moratorium process and dates—
Should there be an advisory committee, should it just be collection of citizen input combined with workshops, should it just be held during Plan Commission meetings with the collection of citizen input?
Solar Ordinance amendment—review collected information, citizen comments, legal issues, etc.
Battery Storage amendment—review collected information, citizen comments, legal issues, etc.
Data Centers amendment—review collected information, citizen comments, legal issues, etc.
Adjourn
RESOLUTION PROPOSED SHOULD THE PLAN COMMISSION DECIDE TO HAVE CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE
ADVISORY PLAN COMMISSION DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA RESOLUTION 2026--_____
A RESOLUTION OF THE DEARBORN COUNTY ADVISORY PLAN COMMISSION ESTABLISHING THE SOLAR, BESS, AND DATA CENTER CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE
WHEREAS, the Dearborn County Advisory Plan Commission (“the Commission”) is authorized, pursuant to Indiana Code § 36-7-4-407, to establish citizen advisory committees to assist with planning and zoning activities; and WHEREAS, the Commission is undertaking a review and possible amendments to Article 19 of the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance as it relates to Solar Energy Systems – Commercial (SES-C’s) and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS);
and WHEREAS, in addition, the Dearborn County Planning and Zoning Department has been working on the creation of a new Article of the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance as it relates to Data Centers;
and WHEREAS, the Commission recognizes that public participation is vital to ensure that any changes to the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance as it relates to these matters reflects the goals, vision, and values of the residents and business owners within Dearborn County;
and WHEREAS, the Commission desires to appoint a group of community members to serve as a Citizen Advisory Committee to review data, conduct public outreach, involve citizens and business owners throughout the entire unincorporated areas of Dearborn County, and make recommendations to the Commission as to the regulation of SES-C’s, BESS, and Data Centers in the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Dearborn County Advisory Plan Commission as follows:
1. Establishment of the Committee: There is hereby established a SES-C, BESS, and Data Center Citizen Advisory Committee (“the Committee”).
2. Purpose and Duties: The purpose of the Committee shall be limited to working with Dearborn County Planning and Zoning Department staff as to SES-C’s, BESS, and/or Data Centers on the following duties:
a. Review the current Article 19 of the Zoning Ordinances to recommend to the Commission possible updates and amendments to the definitions and regulation of SES-C’s and BESS in Article 19.
b. Review the proposed new Article to be added to the Zoning Ordinance as to the definitions and regulations of Data Centers and make a recommendation to the Commission as to its adoption.
c. Recommend minimum standards for setbacks, noise abatement, visual screening/buffering, landscaping, environmental regulations, lighting, drainage, possibilities of cohesiveness between SES-C’s, BESS, and/or Data Centers and agriculture and/or residential land uses.
d. Develop specific minimum safety guidelines for SES-C’s, BESS, and Data Centers, including fire protection and emergency containment plans.
e. Propose protection measures for agricultural land, and/or the integration of agricultural land with SES-C’s, BESS, and/or Data Centers, in an effort to protect the environment.
f. Evaluate community impact including the impact on property values of all property owners.
g. Consult with the attorney for the Commission in an effort to ensure that all recommendations to the Commission are legally sound, enforceable, and contain only those restrictions that are reasonably necessary to promote the public health, safety, morals, and welfare of Dearborn County.
3. Composition: The Committee shall be composed of eleven (11) members appointed by the Commission, and shall include:
a. A minimum of two (2) farmers or owners of agricultural land in the unincorporated areas of Dearborn County (one (1) of which might benefit from such a development and one (1) with a long-standing and operational agriculture farm).
b. A minimum of two (2) property owners of land in the unincorporated areas of Dearborn County that is primarily being used as residential land in an agricultural zoned area.
c. A minimum of two (2) representatives of small, local businesses located in the unincorporated areas of Dearborn County.
d. A minimum of one (1) representative of a utility profession that is also a landowner within the unincorporated areas of Dearborn County who has an understanding of SES-C’s, BESS, and/or Data Centers.
e. One (1) member of the Dearborn County Technical Review Committee.
f. One (1) member of the Commission.
g. One (1) member of the Dearborn County Advisory Board of Zoning Appeals
h. The Director of the Dearborn County Planning and Zoning Department (to be assisted by Planning and Zoning staff to help document conversations and discussions).
i. The Committee shall consist of citizens from different townships of the County. There shall be no more than two (2) members from the same township as members of the Committee.
4. Terms, Operations, and Considerations:
a. The Committee shall abide by all statutes, rules, and regulations that pertain to public agencies including, but not limited to, the Indiana Open Door Law (Indiana Code § 5-14-1.5) and the Indiana Access to Public Records Act (Indiana Code § 5-14-3).
b. The Committee shall hold its meetings open to the public. There will be no “Public Comment” section during the Committee meetings, however the public will be able to provide input from the Committee discussions via written and/or emailed comments submitted to the Planning and Zoning Department for distribution to Committee members.
c. The Committee shall produce a report with recommendations to the Commission and shall present said report during regularly scheduled Commission meetings. Pursuant to Indiana Code § 36-7-4-407, the Committee shall report only to the Commission and shall make inquiries and reports only on the subject and problems specified by this Resolution.
d. The Committee shall invite experts in professions related to SES-C’s, BESS, and/or Data Centers and representatives from Local and State agencies including, but not necessarily limited to, the Dearborn County Soil and Water Conservation District, Fire and Emergency Management departments, the Purdue Extension Office, the Environmental Health division of the Dearborn County Health Department, the Dearborn County Redevelopment Commission, the Dearborn County Highway Department, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, and the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. Said experts shall be invited to Committee meetings for discussion and to assist the Committee with carrying out its purpose and duties.
e. The Committee may be dissolved by the Commission at any time and will automatically dissolve upon the adoption of an Ordinance or Ordinances by the Dearborn County Board of Commissioners as to SES-C’s, BESS, and/or Data Centers or the expiration of the moratoriums on February 24, 2027, whichever occurs sooner.
5. Authority: The Committee is strictly advisory and has no authority to make final decisions or vote on any Ordinances that may be presented to the Commission for vote on a recommendation to the Dearborn County Board of Commissioners.
ALL OF WHICH IS RESOLVED by the Advisory Plan Commission of Dearborn County, Indiana this the _____ day of _______________, 2026. DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA ADVISORY PLAN COMMISSION ______________________________ DENNIS KRAUS JR., President ATTEST: ______________________________
NICOLE DAILY, Director Dearborn County, Indiana Planning and Zoning Department I affirm, under penalties for perjury, that I have taken reasonable care to redact each Social Security number in this document, unless required by law. /s/ Andrew D. Baudendistel This Resolution prepared by: Andrew D. Baudendistel #28212-15, County Attorney, VOTAW & SCHWARZ, 60 East High Street, Lawrenceburg, Indiana 47025. Phone (812) 537-4500. Fax (812) 539-4500.
DRAFT / UNOFFICAL MEETING OUTLINE
The following outline is a preliminary draft designed to provide structure for the meeting. The timing and speakers are tentative and open for discussion and refinement.
A. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
B. ROLL CALL
C. D. ACTION ON MINUTES— September 22, 2025, January 25, 2021, October 25, 2021,
December 20, 2021, May 20, 2019—The minutes from the February 2026 meeting where
not completed in time to send out for review.
E. OLD BUSINESS – NONE
F. NEW BUSINESS –
G. ADMINISTRATIVE—
Staff will give an overview information, comments and other items collected towards the
goal of amending ordinances related to commercial solar, BESS and Data Centers. All
information and comments gathered that will be presented has been collected up to April
24th. This will be the second update of information provided. The first update was
delivered to the Plan Commission, County Commissioners and citizen emails, as well as
posted on the County Website.
Time for the Board to ask questions of staff of any information and comments gathered
Staff will present the first item of discussion which is the request for a Citizen Advisory
Committee. In order for the Plan Commission to decide on such a committee a
Resolution will have to be voted on.
Plan Commission to open public comments only on the topic of a Citizen Advisory
Committee.
Plan Commission to close public comments
Plan Commission to discuss and decide on a Citizen Advisory Committee
Depending on the outcome of the vote, will depend on the following topics discussed.
If the Board does not vote for a Citizen Advisory Committee, the following topics will be
discussed for collecting additional input from citizens and direction from the Plan
Commission on staff composing of standards or regulations based on the topic. Each
Dearborn County Plan Commission
165 Mary Street Lawrenceburg, IN 47025
Phone: (812) 537-8821 Fax: (812) 532-2029
www.dearborncounty.org/planning
“We provide equal access for our disabled citizens. If you are in need of auxiliary aides or special
assistance, please contact the Commissioner’s Office.”
topic will be discussed by Planning staff on information collected and differences
received by research and citizen input. The Plan Commission will open for public
comments solely on the topic at the time and close public comments at the end of each
topic.
o Landscaping verses Berms for buffering
o Setbacks
o Agrivoltaics
o Future Workshops to be dated
If the Board votes for a resolution on a Citizen Advisory Committee, the following topics
will be discussed. The Plan Commission will open for public comments for the
discussion on a Citizens Advisory Committee only during this time and close public
comments at the end.
o Resolution as presented by Staff
o Citizen Advisory Committee as submitted by Robert Rauen
o Discussions on the make-up of the members for the Committee and suggestions
on names for the people to fill the list of members.
o How many times a month shall the Committee meet
o How often to provide updates to the Plan Commission
o Future Workshops to be dated
Staff is anticipating that if a decision is made to create a Citizen Advisory Board, this will
be the only topic discussed during the Plan Commission, as the possibility for any further
discussion on topics would need to be kept to a minimum due to the length
