HERE COMES THE SUN....

George Harrison aside, a "community solar farm/garden" could be coming to your neighborhood sometime in the future.

The Township Planning Commission has received inquiries of late concerning Eureka's permitting process for community solar farms from an energy company in San Francisco, CA. Individual Board members have also received informal inquiries on the subject from some landowners, presumably with prior contact with the CA company or others like it.

Although the first thought by some was "We don't allow them; there'd have to be a Ordinance Text Amendment request," further examination of the Ordinances, in particular Ordinance 3, Ch. 4, Section 13, B, 2, reveals the following:

2. Alternative Energy Systems 
All normal energy systems shall comply with State codes. To provide for new and innovative approaches to the generation of energy for use by residents, businesses and industry in the Township, exceptions may be made to height regulations, setback distances, lot coverage, accessory uses, and all other applicable Ordinance 3 Ch. 4 80 standards in all districts for proposed innovative energy systems, associated equipment and structures. All modifications will be made through a conditional use permit process. 

This has been a "hot" topic of late in the state as well, as evidenced by a few news articles provided below for your convenience:

Xcel Energy

PUC approval
Ecolab solar garden
Solar Power and "Generation Gap"

Such panels, of course, have been installed on warehouse and home rooftops, and bring to mind large-scale ground operations such as those in California or in Arizona deserts. This use could offer larger landowners in the Township an alternate source of income.

Questions/comments raised at the last Town Board Meeting included: 1) We need/want to keep the Township agricultural; 2) Could such a use be limited to less productive farmland, preserving the more fertile acreage for agriculture in the usual sense? 3) What have other communities near us done on this topic? 4) Is this something the Township should examine in detail before any applications come as this hasn't been done before?

As a result, the Board passed a moratorium on solar energy uses to allow time for study. Under State law, the moratorium is in place for six months and can be extended for another six months.

The Planning Commission was tasked with this effort.  How this might be accomplished is likely to be a matter of initial discussion at the next Commission meeting. Supervisor Jennings has already provided the Commission a copy of Empire Township's solar ordinance as information.

The Planning Commission is very busy lately! Aside from its usual duties, it has been tasked with the Comprehensive Plan Update, an examination in greater detail of the Transfer of Building Rights Ordinance and Procedure, the Re-codification of the Ordinances, and now the solar issue.

                        STAY TUNED!