The Village of Broadview has adopted this chapter for the following purposes:
A. Goal: To preserve the health, safety, and welfare of the community by promoting the safe, effective and efficient use of solar energy systems. The solar energy standards include:
1. Encouraging the use of local renewable energy resources, including appropriate applications for wind, solar, and biomass energy.
2. Promoting sustainable building design and management practices to serve current and future generations.
3. Assisting local businesses to lower financial and regulatory risks and improve their economic, community, and environmental sustainability.
4. Efficiently investing in and managing public infrastructure systems to support development and growth.
B. Climate Change Goals: The Village has committed to reducing carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions. Solar energy is an abundant, renewable, and nonpolluting energy resource and its conversion to electricity or heat reduces dependence on nonrenewable energy resources and decreases the air and water pollution that results from the use of conventional energy sources.
C. Consistency with Regional Plans: The Village is part of a regional planning process that has developed recommendations for greenhouse gas reductions, a purpose served by encouraging local solar development.
D. Infrastructure: Distributed solar photovoltaic systems will enhance the reliability and power quality of the power grid and make more efficient use of Village's electric distribution infrastructure.
E. Local Resource: Solar energy is an underused local energy resource and encouraging the use of solar energy will diversify the community's energy supply portfolio and reduce exposure to fiscal risks associated with fossil fuels.
F. Improve Competitive Markets: Solar energy systems offer additional energy choice to consumers and will improve competition in the electricity and natural gas supply market. (Ord. CO-2022-1, 2-7-2022)