After more than two years of public hearings, workshops, and debate, the Montrose Board of County Commissioners voted Thursday to adopt new regulations for power-generation facilities — ending the long-running solar moratorium set to expire on December 18.
The board approved Alternative 1, a framework that allows large-scale solar and other power-generation projects in both agricultural and industrial zones, with each proposal requiring a special use permit. Commissioners emphasized that the special-use process gives them the flexibility to add project-specific conditions, including measures such as setbacks, wildlife protections, acreage limits, or scenic-byway mitigations. Commissioners added a requirement for downward-directed lighting, after staff noted it was not yet included in the draft and Commissioner Sean Pond highlighted the importance of protecting dark skies.
Commissioner Sean Pond voted no, preferring the more restrictive Alternative 2 that he drafted in which stricter regulations were folded directly into the code rather than added case-by-case. Still, the 2–1 vote for Alternative 1 moved the county out of the moratorium period and into a regulatory structure capable of evaluating future proposals.
The board also took action on the Public Safety Sales Tax, repealing a July resolution that created two separate accounting structures for the sheriff’s office. A new resolution, adopted unanimously, consolidates the accounting so both the PSST’s dedicated 70% portion and the general-fund contribution appear transparently in a single sheriff’s fund. Commissioners said the change simplifies reporting, clarifies long-standing confusion, and aligns the budget with voter intent from 2007.
Finally, commissioners unanimously agreed to reopen the search for a permanent county manager, launching a 45-day recruitment window through January 18. This after former commissioner Mijares and Commissioner Pond attempted to rush the hire of the interim manager David White before the recall election. Human Resources Director Leslie Quon said the county will advertise through eight national platforms that specialize in executive-level government positions, as well as outreach to sitting managers across the country. The goal is to complete interviews and make a final selection by early March.
The December 4 meeting marked the county’s first full session inside the renovated courthouse — and the board’s first chance to move forward following months of transition and a historic recall election.
