A. Purpose: The purpose of the administrative waiver process for residential freestanding solar arrays is to facilitate the installation of freestanding solar arrays in residential and office districts while ensuring compatibility with existing development patterns and protecting investments made by surrounding property owners.
B. Issuance Of Waiver: The city planner shall issue a waiver only for freestanding solar arrays that comply with the following criteria. If the following criteria are not met, then the applicant still has the opportunity to apply for a special exception through the zoning board of adjustment.
C. Criteria:
1. An administrative waiver for a freestanding solar array is available in the following residential and office zoning districts: R-1, R-2, R-2A, R-3, R-4, OR and OC districts.
2. An administrative waiver is available for a freestanding solar array up to a maximum of twenty feet (20') in height and five hundred (500) square feet in area.
3. That all abutting property owner(s), including property owner(s) directly across the street, alley or platted public right of way agree to the requested freestanding solar array by signing a waiver form supplied by the planning services office.
4. That a site plan depicting the location of the freestanding solar array on the property and its distance to the side and rear property lines shall be prepared by the applicant and reviewed for completeness by the planning services office staff.
5. That an elevation rendering of the freestanding solar array indicating maximum height and width of the installation shall also be prepared by the applicant and reviewed for completeness by planning services office.
6. The applicant shall meet with each property owner and review with them the site plan and elevation rendering for the proposed solar array installation. Each property owner will need to agree to the proposal by signing a waiver form.
D. Completion Of Process: Planning staff will verify that the application is complete and that all waiver forms are signed, have the applicant sign before a notary that they met with all the neighboring property owners and received their signatures, and notify the building services department that an administrative waiver has been approved. (Ord. 58-16, 11-21-2016)