The Florence City Council has set a date for a public hearing on proposed zoning text amendments covering the city’s solar panels and battery storage facilities. The Boone County Planning Commission recommended a resolution to adopt the text amendments.
The Florence planning committee reviewed the county’s recommendations and added regulations and language.
“The county regulations are a blanket regulation for the entire county,” said council member Patricia Wingo, who is on the city planning committee. “It could be a farm, it could be a house set on 12 acres, it could be any of those things. We’re a much more urban environment, so we have to be a little more conscious of what’s happening with our neighbors, and being good neighbors to them.”
Wingo noted that the city planning committee reviewed each amendment closely to ensure it reflected the city’s needs.
“We’ve added all of that to what the county permitted so that it was more specific to our community,” said Wingo. “So, there were a lot of changes that we made to it to make it better for the city of Florence.”
After viewing a presentation and discussing the matter at its March 18 meeting, council voted to hold a public hearing to hear from city residents.
Inviting more input
Although there was a public hearing at the county level, council members said they wanted city residents to have more opportunities to weigh in. Council member Angie Cable made a motion to hold the additional public hearing.
“In my opinion, with the added restrictions, I propose that we have a public hearing for Florence to discuss this for the residents who are considering solar energy,” Cable said.
Getting the details
Director of Community Development Todd Morgan provided an overview of the zoning text amendments, describing the changes and additions in the language provided by the city planning committee.
First, he reviewed requirements for solar energy systems on rooftops, whether in residential or other zones in the city. The draft code allows rooftop solar in all zoning districts as an accessory use, Morgan said.
Here are some key requirements.
- Rooftop solar panels shall not be visible from streets when located in commercial, office, industrial, public facilities, airport and Florence Main Street zoning districts.
- Rooftop solar panels shall not be visible from adjoining properties when located in commercial, office, public facilities and Florence Main Street zoning districts.
- Rooftop solar panels shall not be visible from adjoining properties when located in industrial or airport zones unless the adjoining property is zoned industrial or airport.
- Rooftop solar panels on flat roofs shall not be visible when located in a residential zone.
- If rooftop solar panels are to be on a pitched roof, they shall be positioned so they don’t extend above or beyond any ridge, hip, valley or eve in all other zoning districts.
- Associated wires and cables shall not be visible from public view or shall be concealed in conduit which is color coordinated with the subject structure in all zoning districts.
Morgan went on to provide information on solar energy systems integrated into building materials. The draft code allows these in all zoning districts except the Florence Main Street Zone.
- Wires or cables should not be visible from public view or shall be concealed in conduit which is color coordinated with the subject structure.
- Associated equipment, cabinets, inverters, etc., shall be inside the structure or attached to the side and rear of the structure on which the integrated system is proposed.
- It shall not be visible from public roadways. They can be screened with fencing or landscaping.
Morgan also outlined regulations for ground-mounted systems. Those 2,500 square feet or smaller are permitted as an accessory use in industrial or airport zones. In agricultural zones, they are a conditional use, he said.
He noted restrictions on the size in relation to the main structure, lighting and material requirements, fencing, height limits, and rules for decommissioning and removing ground-mounted systems.
Morgan said that while the county laid out regulations for larger ground-mounted systems, these are not permitted within the city of Florence at all.
He also noted anyone with solar panels already in place in the city would not be subject to the new restrictions since they predate the code. They would be “grandfathered in,” he said.
Florence council members said interest in the topic has grown, and said they felt residents would be interested in learning more and providing input.
The council voted unanimously to hold the additional hearing for city residents. It is scheduled for April 15.
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