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Home My Public Portal About610 Ordinance Regarding Solar Equipment Amending Chapter 8 of the City CodeCITY OF MEDINA ORDINANCE NO.610 AN ORDINANCE REGARDING SOLAR EQUIPMENT; AMENDING CHAPTER 8 OF THE CITY CODE The City Council of the City of Medina ordains as follows: SECTION I. Section 828.09 of the code of ordinances of the city of Medina is amended by deleting the stfieken language and adding the underlined language as follows: Section 828.09. Solar Equipment. Any equipment or device that utilizes, operates or supplies energy derived from the sun shall meet the following standards: Subd. 1. Solar Equipment, if affixed to a structure. The following standards shall apply to Solar Equipment which is affixed to a structure: (a) The equipment or device must be affixed to a structure and meet all setback requirements for principal structures in the zoning district where located. (b) The equipment or device may not exceed the height of the building by more than five feet, and shall cover no more than 70 percent of the roof to which it is affixed. (c) The equipment or device must be designed and constructed in compliance with all applicable building and electrical codes. (d) The equipment or device must be in compliance with all state and federal regulations regarding co -generation of energy. (e) All solar arrays or panels shall be installed or positioned so as not to cause any glare or reflective sunlight onto neighboring properties or structures, or obstruct views. (f) Solar equipment which is mounted to a roof which is not flat, and which is visible from the nearest right-of-way, shall not have a finished pitch more than five percent steeper than the roof. (g) The zoning administrator may require compliance with any other conditions, restrictions or limitations deemed r asonably necessary to protect the residential character of the Subd. 2. Ground -mounted Solar Equipment, i f „ t ., ffixed to struettif (a) The following standards shall apply to Ground -mounted Solar Equipment which is not affixed to a structRare, within the Business and Industrial Park zoning districts: (i) Ground -mounted Solar Equipment which is not affixed to a structure shall only be permitted in the Business and Industrial Park zoning districts and only following Conditional Use Permit approval. (ii) Solar Equipment shall be set back a minimum of 300 feet from residential property. (iii) Solar Equipment shall meet all setback requirements for principal structures in the zoning district where located. Ordinance No. 610 1 April 18, 2017 (iv) The footprint occupied by Solar Equipment shall be considered lot coverage and impervious surface for the purpose of calculating such standards. The footprint shall include all space between pieces of Solar Equipment, unless the pieces are separated by more than 25 feet. (v) The footprint occupied by Solar Equipment shall not exceed 20% of the lot. (vi) The equipment or device may not exceed a height of 20 feet. (vii) The City may require landscaping or other means of screening to limit visual impacts of the mounting devices of the Solar Equipment. (viii) The equipment or device must be designed and constructed in compliance with all applicable building and electrical codes. (ix) The equipment or device must be in compliance with all state and federal regulations regarding co -generation of energy. (x) All solar arrays or panels shall be installed or positioned so as not to cause any glare or reflective sunlight onto neighboring properties or structures, or obstruct views. (xi) The City may require compliance with any other conditions, restrictions or limitations deemed reasonably necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare and to promote harmony with neighboring uses. (b) The following standards shall apply to Ground -mounted Solar Equipment which is not affixed to a structure, within residential zoning districts in which such Equipment is permitted: (i) Ground -mounted Solar Equipment which is not affixed to a structurc shall only be permitted in the Agricultural Preservation, Rural Residential, Rural Residential - Urban Reserve, Rural Residential-1, and Rural Residential-2 zoning districts at-K4 only following Conditional Use Permit approval. (ii) Ground -mounted Solar Equipment shall only be permitted on a parcel which is five acres or greater in area. (iii) Solar Equipment shall only be allowed as an accessory use on a parcel with an existing principal structure. (iv) Ground -mounted Solar Equipment shall be set back a minimum of 100 feet from all property lines. (v) The footprint occupied by Solar Equipment shall not exceed 1000 square feet. (vi) The equipment or device may not exceed a height of 15 feet. (vii) The City may require 1Landscaping or other means of screening shall be installed adjacent to the rear and sides of the Solar Equipment to limit visual impacts of the structural supports of the Solar Equipment. A minimum of one shrub per 10 linear feet or one tree per 30 linear feet shall be required Landscaping or screening shall have an anticipated mature height of at least 75% of the height of the Solar Equipment, but shall not be required in front of solar panels. This requirement may alternatively be achieved through fencing existing vegetation, or similar measures. (vii) The equipment or device must be designed and constructed in compliance with all applicable building and electrical codes. (g +) The equipment or device must be in compliance with all state and federal regulations regarding co -generation of energy. (ix) All solar arrays or panels shall be installed or positioned so as not to cause any glare or reflective sunlight onto neighboring properties or structures, or obstruct views. Ordinance No. 610 2 April 18, 2017 (xi) Ground -mounted Solar Equipment with a footprint exceeding 1500 square feet shall only be permitted upon conditional use permit review and approval, subject to the conditions noted below: (1) Ground -mounted Solar Equipment with a footprint exceeding 1500 square feet shall onl be permitted on parcels which are 10 acres or greater in area; (2) The footprint occupied by the Solar Equipment shall not exceed 2500 square feet; (3) The City may require additional landscaping or other means of screening to limit visual impacts of the Solar Equipment; and (1)(4) The City may require compliance with any other conditions, restrictions or limitations deemed reasonably necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, to protect the rural viewsheds and the natural environment, and to promote harmony with neighboring uses. SECTION II. Section 826.11 of the code of ordinances of the city of Medina is amended by deleting thelanguage and adding the language as follows: Section 826.11. (AG) Conditional Uses. Within the agricultural preservation zoning district, no structure or land shall be used for the following uses except by conditional use permit: Subd. 1. Home occupations in conformance with section 826.98, Subd. 2 (c) of this ordinance. Subd. 2. Private use of windmills or wind energy conversion systems (WECS). Subd. 3. RESER VED. Subd. 4. Accessory Dwelling Units in conformance with section 826.98 subd. 2(p) of this ordinance. Subd. 5. Other uses similar to those permitted in this subdivision, as determined by the city council. SECTION III. Section 826.13 of the code of ordinances of the city of Medina is amended by deleting the ,,tricioeil language and adding the underlined language as follows: Section 826.13. (AG) Permitted Accessory Uses. Within the agricultural Agricultural e`e n anon Preservation zoning district, the following uses shall be permitted accessory uses: Subd. 11. Ground -mounted Solar Eequipment which is not affixed to a structure, subject to conditional use permit approval and compliance with performance standards of section 828.09 subd. 2(b) of this ordinance. Ordinance No. 610 3 April 18, 2017 SECTION IV. Section 826.23 of the code of ordinances of the city of Medina is amended by deleting the stricken language and adding the underlined language as follows: Section 826.23. (RRl Permitted Accessory Uses. Within any Rural Residential District the following uses shall be permitted accessory uses: Subd. 13. Ground -mounted Solar eEquipment which is not affixed to a structure, subject to conditional use per it ap„reval a„a compliance with performance standards of section 828.09 subd. 2(b) of this ordinance. SECTION V. Section 826.25.4 of the code of ordinances of the city of Medina is amended by deleting the stricken language and adding the underlined language as follows: Section 826.25.4. (RR-UR) Permitted Accessory Uses. Within the Urban Reserve district, the following uses shall be permitted accessory uses when used in conjunction with a principal structure: Subd. 9. Ground -mounted Solar eEquipment which is not affixcd to a structure, subject to conditional use-pernit' d compliance with performance standards of section 828.09 subd. 2(b) of this ordinance. SECTION VI. This ordinance shall become effective upon its adoption and publication. Adopted by the Medina city council this 18t' day of April, 2017. Bob Mitchell, Mayor Attest: Jodl M. Gallup, City Clerk Published in the Crow River News on the 27th day of April, 2017. Ordinance No. 610 4 April 18, 2017