Commissioners said a 1,500-acre maximum and current contiguous-land language may be too permissive; several proposed a smaller cap, clearer contiguous definitions and a 3-mile buffer from city limits or urban-growth areas.

Commissioners discussed synchronizing the county's large‑scale solar moratorium with its BESS (battery energy storage system) review and proposed a roundtable with applicants and neighbors to develop policy changes.

Public commenter Mary Grogan asked the commission to deny the Galena and TED solar projects on Aug. 5, saying MAPC received around 1,000 and 1,100 protest signatures and that protest petitions exceed statutory thresholds.

The board approved a six‑month interim development control (moratorium) on new large‑scale solar conditional‑use applications through Dec. 11, 2026, directing staff to review recent regulations and use two pending projects as case studies; the vote was 5–0.

The commission agreed to consider placing a moratorium on future solar applications to allow staff and commissioners to review and possibly revise regulations; staff said a moratorium would not affect applications already submitted and a draft could be prepared for the next meeting.

County planning staff reviewed 2019 and recent updates to the unified zoning code and comprehensive plan for utility-scale solar, highlighting non-waivable limits (e.g., large projects banned in urban growth areas), size thresholds, visual-impact and environmental testing requirements, and financial assurances for decommissioning.

At its final 2025 meeting, the Sedgwick County Board deferred a KDOT right-of-way purchase for the Northwest Expressway pending a 2026 Major Investment Study, approved multiple procurement awards and the consent agenda, and heard public commenters on solar and agrivoltaics.