Loading...
12 - PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING SOLAR FARM ETC.Item No. 12 memorandum TO: Mayor & City Council John Godwin, City Manager FROM: Alan Efrussy, AICP, Planning Manager SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING DEFINITION OF A SOLAR FARM AND POTENTIAL ALLOWABLE ZONING DISTRICTS AND REGULATIONS DATE: April 5, 2016 BACKGROUND: Recently a potential applicant contacted city staff to discuss the possibility of establishing a solar farm within the City of Paris. Presently we do not have a definition for this use, and therefore do not have a Zoning Ordinance inclusion regarding a district(s) where said use could be located and regulated. Solar farms are relatively new uses in zoning ordinances and they can be of benefit to communities. In addition, staff believes that solar farms encompass particular land use locational considerations which should be evaluated as part of the approval process. At the March 7, 2016 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, a discussion meeting was held and the consensus of the commission was for the city staff to begin the public hearing process for said solar farm project before the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council, and adopt an ordinance as stated herein. The city staff supports the commission's recommendations. At the public hearing held by the Planning and Zoning Commission on April 4, 2016, the Commission unanimously approved the elements regarding Solar Farms as stated in the adopting ordinance that is included with this memorandum. No one spoke either in favor of or in opposition to the project. STATUS OF ISSUE: The staff finds the following: A) Definition of a Solar Farm: A solar farm is defined as the components and subsystems required to convert solar energy into electric or thermal energy suitable to supply merchant power to the electric grid. The area of the system includes all the land inside the perimeter of the system, which extends to any fencing, land area required for setbacks, landscaping and signage. This term applies, but is not limited to, solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and solar thermal systems. This term does not apply to roof mounted on any code — compliant structure, ground mounted and in compliance with necessary structure provisions as shall be contained within the City of Paris Zoning Ordinance, or any building integrated solar (i.e., shingle, hanging solar, canopy). B) Recommendation regarding Zoning Ordinance Districts: The Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended that the review and approval of solar farm applications be considered as a permitted use within the Agricultural (A), Light Industrial (LI), and Heavy Industrial (HI) Zoning Districts, and with a minimum lot size of five (5) acres. C) Potential Benefits of Solar Farms: The following are recognized benefits of solar farms: 1. They make virtually no noise or waste and have virtually no moving parts, and maintenance is minimal. 2. They generate electricity locally and feed into the local electricity grid using a free source of energy (the sun) to generate electricity on bright cloudy days as well as direct sunlight. 3. There is no by product or waste generated, except during manufacturing or dismantling. 4. Solar farms can help fight climate change. 5. Fewer fossil fuels are burned. 6. Solar energy is a clean, renewable energy source. 7. Large solar farms produce enough energy to provide clean energy to buildings that don't have their own solar — energy systems. 8. The American Southwest receives strong year —round sunlight, making it ideal for solar farms. 9. Solar farms can also be used to provide voltage control to wind turbines, thereby allowing more wind energy to enter the grid at night, when solar farms are dormant. D) Limitation: When solar farm land is isolated, said solar farm could likely require transmission lines to be extended relatively long distances to deliver the power to where it is needed. E) Particular Requirements for Solar Farms: Because of the relatively new inclusion of solar farms into modern zoning ordinances, and because of the particular concerns that solar farms can generate regarding public health, welfare and safety, the city staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission are recommending particular requirements for solar farms to be included in the Zoning Ordinance, even though they are also recommended as permitted uses in the three zoning districts. These requirements are stated in the enclosed adopting Ordinance, and are especially relevant because of the proximity of the Paris airport to areas of potential solar farm development within Paris. F) Proposed time —frame for adoption of a solar farm definition, the zoning districts wherein permitted, and proposed requirements: The staff recommended that said solar farm data and recommendations be discussed at the March 7, 2016 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, and that has been accomplished; a public hearing was scheduled and held by the commission at its April 4, 2016 meeting; and a public hearing is scheduled to be held with recommendation for adoption by the City Council at its April 11, 2016 meeting. RECOMMENDATION: Conduct a public hearing and approve adoption of the amendments to Zoning Ordinance No. 1710 regarding Solar Farms as stated in the adopting ordinance enclosed herein.