By Bill Short
The Millington Board of Mayor and Aldermen has unanimously approved amendments to the city’s Zoning Ordinance that will regulate solar power plants and associated facilities.
Board members took the action during their Feb. 9 regular monthly meeting on a motion offered by Alderman Don Lowry and seconded by Alderman Thomas McGhee.
The amended ordinance was unanimously passed on first reading at the board’s Jan. 12 meeting.
In February 2025, the board approved a 12-month moratorium on construction of new solar power plants.
At its December 2025 meeting, the Millington Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on its proposed amendments and voted to recommend the board’s approval of them.
They revise and add language in Chapters 5 and 8 of Title 14 in the Millington Municipal Code.
A “solar power plant” is defined as any facility designed to generate electricity from solar energy with a capacity exceeding 1 megawatt. That includes associated infrastructure, such as inverters, transformers and transmission lines.
A “solar farm” is defined as a collection of solar panels installed on land to generate electricity for off-site use or sale.
Towers for use by or in connection with solar plants or farms may be permitted in M-2, General Industrial, districts if approved by the Millington Board of Zoning Appeals, subject to applicable provisions of the Zoning Ordinance.
A proposed solar plant or farm will require a detailed Site Plan prepared by a licensed engineer in accordance with the city’s Zoning Ordinance and Design Standards. It must include:
(i) the exact location and dimensions of all solar panels, inverters, transformers and other infrastructure;
(ii) buffer zones with a minimum width of 500 feet from all property lines, public roads and residential zones surrounding the solar plant or farm that must remain undeveloped and landscaped to mitigate visual and environmental impacts;
(iii) a topographic survey showing existing vegetation, water bodies and wetlands;
(iv) an Environmental Impact Assessment conducted by a third-party consultant approved by the municipality that evaluates:
(a) the impact on local wildlife, endangered species, migratory birds, soil erosion, stormwater runoff and groundwater contamination risks; and
(b) the effects on agricultural land and prime farmland soils.
(v) a Visual Impact Study, including photo simulations from multiple vantage points that demonstrate the project’s impact on scenic vistas, historic sites and community aesthetics;
(vi) a Community Impact Report that analyzes the project’s effects on property values, traffic, noise and local infrastructure, including a fiscal impact assessment; and
(vii) a Decommissioning Plan conducted in accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated Section 66-9-207.
The amended ordinance states that noise from inverters or other equipment cannot exceed 40 decibels at the property line during daytime hours and 30 decibels at night.
It notes that the site must be maintained free of weeds, debris and damaged panels. Repairs will be immediately required for any non-compliance, along with additional maintenance requirements outlined in Title 13 of the Municipal Code.
Operators must submit annual reports detailing energy production, environmental impacts and compliance with permit conditions.
The ordinance also states that all solar infrastructure must be set back at least 1,000 feet from any residential property, school, park or public waterway. A minimum of 100 acres is required for lot size.
