LORDSTOWN — Village council voted 6-0 Tuesday to prohibit issuing new permits for large-scale wind and solar farms and new power plants in the community.

Prohibiting wind and solar farms is nothing new in the Mahoning Valley as many communities in Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties have voted against them.

Lordstown is home to Ultium Cells, which is an electric vehicle battery plant. Construction of a second, similar plant is underway.

Council President Robert Bond said most residents he has spoken to do not want the large wind and solar farms in the village. He said the motions passed by council permanently prevent future electric plants, and solar and wind farms.

He said smaller ones are permitted on residential properties. Residents have said at past meetings they do not want such “eyesores” that they say harm wildlife and the environment.

Resident Mark McGrail said Tuesday he supports the ban, noting the village already has two power plants. McGrail said just like trucking terminals, which earlier this month also were temporarily prohibited, solar and wind farms bring little to no revenue to the village.

Resident Laura Czoka said she attended a recent solar farm informational meeting in Ellsworth and is against large solar farms of more than 50 megawatts.

“I thank council and the mayor for looking out for the residents of the village and being able to regulate them. This is a major issue affecting the village,” Czoka said.

SEEKING GRANTS

Council also approved having fire Chief Travis Eastham submit applications for Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation funds for turnout gear, hoods and gloves, and an ambulance power load and cot system, and for Federal Emergency Management Agency funds for a rescue vehicle and turnout gear.

In other business, council approved reimbursing CT Consultants $7,500 for work related to a planned parking lot expansion by Ultiium Cells that will be presented to the village planning commission and reviewed by the village engineering department.

Planning Director Kellie Bordner said industrial structures that are to be built on 34.77 acres of property off Tod Avenue owned by Clean Energy Future-Trumbull LLC need to be rezoned from residential to commercial. She said the zoning must be changed to prevent industrial structures from being built on residential parcels. Council approved the request.