Richland County Commissioners Address Upcoming Wind and Solar Ballot Initiative

Richland County commissioners have acknowledged that voters will decide on the future of large wind and solar power facilities in the county during the May 2026 ballot.

 

However, two of the three commissioners believe that approval for such projects should be a local zoning issue, not subject to a countywide referendum.

 

The third commissioner has raised concerns about the honesty of those circulating the petitions.

 

All three commissioners addressed these issues following a public meeting, which occurred a day after the county Board of Elections certified a citizen-initiated petition to place the issue on the ballot.

 

A local coalition, Richland County Citizens for Property Rights and Job Development, successfully gathered over 4,300 signatures, surpassing the required 3,320 to qualify for the ballot.

 

This effort followed the commissioners' unanimous decision on July 17 to ban large wind and solar facilities in 11 of the county's 18 townships, all in unincorporated areas.

 

Commissioner Cliff Mears stated, "It's basically a zoning issue. The townships have spoken. They have said whether they want large wind or solar projects or not."

 

He expressed concern that many petition signatures came from incorporated areas like Mansfield, which are not directly affected by the commissioners' decision.

 

Commissioner Tony Vero questioned the alignment of the referendum process with the intent of Ohio Senate Bill 52, which aimed to give townships and county commissioners authority over zoning decisions.

 

He noted that the majority of signatures were from individuals living within municipal limits, areas not impacted by the commissioners' authority.

 

Commissioner Darrell Banks reiterated concerns about the petition circulation process, alleging that some circulators provided false information to voters.

 

He recounted an instance where a circulator falsely claimed that commissioners voted to ban solar and wind power across the entire county.

 

Christina O'Millian, co-chair of the petitioning organization, stated that their messaging emphasized that these facilities have been banned in most of Richland County, focusing on property owners' rights.

 

Banks also raised concerns about Venita Shoulders, a petition organizer who holds a seat on the county Board of Elections, participating in the unanimous vote to certify the petitions.

 

He suggested that she should have abstained from the vote.

 

As the May 2026 primary election approaches, commissioners urge voters to educate themselves on the issue and be cautious about the information provided by both sides.

 

Banks emphasized the importance of making informed decisions based on accurate information.