EATON — At recent meetings, the Preble County Commissioners have received dozens of letters of concern — in postcard form — regarding proposed solar farms in Preble County.

During their Wednesday, Dec. 20, meeting, commissioners noted receipt of 10 postcards, signed by various concerned Preble County residents.

Commission President Adam Craft read the postcard’s message into record: “The postcard reads, Commissioners craft Haber and Vonderhaar, this is my opinion for public record. One: I support the zoning amendments to prohibit solar of 49.9 megawatts and less from being built on land throughout Preble County. Two: I support Senate Bill 52 being passed countywide to prohibit solar of 50 megawatts and above. Three: Preble County is a farming community, and the state of Ohio has given us the tools to prohibit solar from being built on our land. Farmland is finite and irreplaceable. We need to use these tools to protect it. Solar should not come to Preble County.

Some 56 additional letters were received by the board and entered into the record during the Wednesday, Dec. 27, meeting, according to commission records.

Ohio Senate Bill 52 was passed by the 134th General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine, taking effect Oct. 11, 2021.

Under the law, county commissioners can designate all or part of the unincorporated area of a county as a restricted area; no applications or amendments may be filed for a facility in the restricted area if the facility type is prohibited in that restricted area.