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Public hearings are ideal opportunities for people to make known their questions, concerns and, when applicable, their fears on whatever topic is at hand. Usually, those subjects are concerned with policies that could affect a large number of residents or even whole localities.

Such was the case when many people attended the Southampton County Board of Supervisors meeting this past Tuesday evening. Person after person got up to speak against a proposal to amend zoning that could allow solar panels to be set up in another area of Southampton.

We understand the reasoning of both the opponents and proponents, the latter of whom made a salient point about property rights of an individual. That in itself is a topic for another editorial.

As you might have witnessed, heard or read, the majority of the board ultimately agreed that the zoning amendment should not be allowed. For the foreseeable future, that decision eclipses the possibility for that solar farm to rise.

What impressed us even more than the decision itself was that the supervisors had really listened to their constituents, and also gave their own informed reasons to support the votes. Voters need to know they are being heard, and it’s heartening to known that their hopes and trust were not misplaced.