Idaho lawmakers revise tax codes and election regulations during recent legislative session.

House Bill 2388 would designate pivot‑corner solar and agrivoltaic facilities as distributed energy priorities and permit certain solar uses on agricultural land as accessory uses when compatible with ongoing agricultural production; supporters said it unlocks gigawatts of potential and farmer revenue, while land‑use groups called for precise definitions.

City Council moves forward with plans to annex substantial unincorporated county land.

Committee supports bill to restrict solar plant incentives on productive agricultural land.

Town planner Eric Blarkco urged the board to send courtesy notices to neighbors about county agricultural‑district applications, saying inclusion in the agricultural district can limit the town’s ability to enforce local rules on matters such as noise, odor and setbacks.

The Ada County Board of Commissioners reopened deliberations on a comprehensive zoning ordinance rewrite to clarify how large-scale solar projects may be sited on prime or important farmland, directed staff to draft exception criteria, and tabled the matter for two weeks to allow staff to return with proposed language.

Midway council members and residents voted to back a community letter asking UDOT to justify selecting Route B for the proposed bypass, arguing it conflicts with a 2018 $10 million open‑space bond, appears to disregard the draft EIS designation of Route A as the LEDPA, and risks harm to the Northfields aquifer; residents were urged to file comments by March 9.

County staff updated the board on regional flood, habitat and water‑supply initiatives — including the Army Corps draft feasibility report that tentatively selects a Fremont Weir expansion and setback levee — and the board authorized staff to submit comment letters consistent with county policy while asking a subcommittee to refine the position statement.

After extended discussion and public comment, the Clinton City Council voted unanimously to annex 155.136 acres in West Clinton, adopt an annexation agreement with protections for existing agricultural uses (including HOA-maintained screening fence language), and approve initial zoning that constrains multifamily development on the narrow Nielsen parcel.

Woodford County fiscal court approved the second reading of a zoning text amendment that prohibits landfills, data centers and specified battery energy storage systems across incorporated and unincorporated areas; the ordinance was passed unanimously and must be published in summary form within 30 days.

Harford County Executive Bob Casley said a recent state law allows the first 5,000 acres of utility solar to override local zoning and urged the state to direct solar to degraded sites rather than the county's best agricultural land.

Representatives from Harvest Solar told the county that small‑ and medium‑scale commercial arrays and power‑purchase agreements can cut municipal energy bills without converting farmland; the company answered questions about decommissioning, tax credits and panel longevity.

The commission voted 8-0 to recommend CPA 2026-001, which adds policy language to the 2045 comprehensive plan intended to cap cumulative acreage for utility-scale solar in agricultural zones; a public commenter urged more nuanced metrics to protect soil, microclimate and farm viability.

Planning staff and a consultant presented a draft agricultural protection‑area (APA) text amendment that would create a voluntary protection process; the commission recommended clarifying production‑level language, ownership grouping and signature thresholds and forwarded the revised draft to the County Commission.

The board considered second reading of Ordinance OAA25-16 to amend Section 3.17 (alternative energy) of the Pennington County Zoning Ordinance. Amendments added an infrasound definition and stricter decommissioning-fund requirements; commissioners split on whether industrial zones should be required for wind/solar projects.

Dozens of residents told the Henry County Board of Supervisors they oppose allowing data centers and battery energy storage facilities in the county, citing water consumption, noise, fire risk and threats to farmland; speakers urged a moratorium, stricter special-use standards and large decommissioning bonds.

The Equestrian Preserve Committee unanimously voted to ask council to direct staff to prepare village-initiated comp-plan and land-development amendments to expand the preserve boundary by about 588 acres (including ~177.93 acres of agricultural land), and to notify affected landowners.

Commissioners amend comprehensive plan to enhance protection for rural neighborhoods and agricultural land.

Committee approves Senate Bill 1187 to enhance agricultural protection area regulations.

Samantha Parrott presents Senate Bill 1133 to safeguard Idaho's agricultural lands from urban development.

A Lexington City Planning Commission work group reviewed council‑initiated changes to the solar ordinance and heard stakeholders and academics urge restrictions on large‑scale solar on prime agricultural soils, request NRCS soil input, and press staff for GIS mapping of soils, transmission lines and brownfields.

The planning commission recommended denying Beverly Hanson’s request to rezone an 8.47-acre parcel from Agricultural Protection to Residential, citing precedent risks, the county’s agricultural-protection policies, and existing compliance as a conditional-use dwelling; the item will go to the County Board on June 16.

At an informational hearing on SF 4479, farmers and clean-energy interests clashed over whether allowing county boards to designate prime farmland as unsuitable for large power facilities protects agriculture or improperly restricts landowner choice. Testimony and committee questions highlighted uncertain decommissioning science, examples of large projects, and local-control trade-offs.

Sen. Rob Kupak told the Clay County Board he is pursuing bills on protecting prime agricultural land from solar, tweaking the grain indemnity fund, seeking bonding for flood mitigation and a non-secure juvenile facility, supporting rural water projects, pursuing IT modernization grants for counties, and pursuing tax-credit and regulatory work that could affect a sustainable aviation fuel plant proposed for Clay County.

Oklahoma allows landowners to manage feral swine without permits for agricultural protection.