Starke County, IN — Solar Development Risk Assessment

Active Moratorium — 12-month ban on commercial solar & BESS, approved Feb 2025; Plan Commission recommending extension through Jul 2026

None codified. No county-specific setbacks adopted.

Starke County Area Plan Commission (APC): CUP or Improvement Location Permit (ILP) in Agricultural district.

Supportive / revenue-focused

County incentive framing; BZA vote history

Stable

Local permit: Special Exception (SE) in A-1 Agricultural zoning via county Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA); some counties use two-step process (Plan Commission recommendation + BZA approval). BZA SE is the standard county-level pathway for all utility-scale solar. IURC CPCN: Indiana Code §8-1-8.5 — IURC Certificate of Public Convenience & Necessity (Cause No.) required for generating facilities >80 MW; process runs parallel to county BZA SE and does not replace it. IURC approval does NOT override a county BZA denial except where federal jurisdiction applies (see Mammoth Solar / Pulaski County precedent, 2023). IC 36-7-4: Indiana Code §36-7-4 limits how restrictive county ordinances can be for solar; basis for developer preemption litigation against overly restrictive ordinances (Randolph County 2024 litigation pending). SB 411 (2022): Voluntary 'solar-ready county' designation for counties meeting solar-friendly siting standards. SB 390 (2023): $1/MWh financial incentive for solar-ready counties.

Indiana Renewable Energy law (IURC): no Renewable Portfolio Standard — Indiana repealed its RPS (HB 1271, effective 2023). Net metering: available for ≤1 MW retail customer generation (IURC regulated utilities); Indiana Michigan Power (AEP), Duke Energy Indiana, Vectren/CenterPoint, NIPSCO offer programs. IURC CPCN: required for generating facilities ≥80 MW. HEA 1381 (2022): counties retain siting authority for solar in unincorporated areas. No state cash incentive program for solar. Utility: Duke Energy Indiana serves central/eastern IN; NIPSCO (NiSource) serves NW IN (Cook/Lake/Porter); Indiana Michigan Power (AEP) serves northeastern IN; Vectren/CenterPoint serves SW IN; REMC cooperatives serve rural areas.

Mammoth North Solar (Doral Renewables / SOLV Energy EPC) | 480 MWDC / 400 MWAC / ~5,000 acres | BZA Special Exception Approved 2021 | Groundbreaking Oct 2021 | Construction completed | Operational Oct 2024 — first and largest phase of the Mammoth Solar complex; $475M investment; ~75,000 homes powered; 2023 North American Agrivoltaics Award winner; agrivoltaic livestock program: 2,000+ sheep, alpacas, donkeys, kunekune pigs grazing under panels Additional BZA special exceptions | 20–80 MW | 2019–2024 | NIPSCO territory

No confirmed denials on record as of Mar 2026.