LISBON, Ohio - Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that the hearing would impact the Kensington Solar project

Columbiana County Commissioners have agreed to hold a hearing on banning future solar and wind farms in four townships.

Commissioners have scheduled a 9:15 a.m. hearing at their offices on February 15 to take testimony on designating the unincorporated areas of Franklin, Fairfield, Perry, and West Townships as restricted areas prohibiting the construction of large solar facilities and large wind farms.

Under an Ohio law that went into effect on October 11, 2021, the board of county commissioners may adopt a resolution designating all or part of the unincorporated area of a county as a restricted area, prohibiting the construction of any or all of the following:

(1) An economically significant wind farm;

(2) A large wind farm;

(3) A large solar facility.

Although the commissioners have gone on record as opposing plans by Kensington Solar of Ontario, Canada to build a solar farm on more than 2,000 acres of land in Franklin Township, Commissioner Tim Weigle tells 21 News that the Kensington project would not be impacted by next month's hearing.

Kensington's plans to install more than 300,000 solar panels later this year on 2,2064 acres being leased from private landowners was filed with the Ohio Power Siting Board before the new law went into effect.

Opponents of the Kensington project claim the solar farm would hurt property values and have circulated petitions against the idea.