(A) Review and application.
(1) Purpose. The purpose and intent of this section is to allow the use of solar energy within the city as a clean, alternative energy source, and to provide regulations that will protect public health, safety, and welfare. Therefore, no person shall construct, erect, maintain, extend, or remove a solar collector or solar energy system in the residentially zoned sections of the city without compliance with the provisions of this section.
(2) Application. Residential solar installations require a letter of compliance from the city. An application for a letter of compliance shall include the following:
(a) Applicant shall file with the City Clerk an application on a form prescribed by the city and pay the filing fee of $300.
(b) The application shall include photographs of the property’s existing conditions, including renderings or catalog cuts of the proposed solar energy system. A plot/sketch plan to indicate where the solar energy system is to be installed on the building, including property setbacks and the total solar collector surface area.
(c) For pitched roof-mounted solar systems, the elevation must show the highest finished height of the system and the height of the finished roof surface on which it is mounted.
(d) For flat roof-mounted solar energy systems, the elevations shall show the highest finished height of the system and the highest point of the roof, including any parapets on the building.
(B) Design.
(1) Design regulations.
(a) Ground mounted solar energy systems are prohibited in residential use districts, only roof mounted collectors are allowed.
(b) Any appurtenant equipment shall be set back a minimum of 15 feet from all property lines and a minimum of 30 feet from all dwellings located on adjacent lots. Roof-mounted systems shall comply with all building setbacks in the applicable zoning district and shall not extend beyond the exterior perimeter of the building on which the system is mounted.
(c) Solar collectors shall be flush mounted on pitched roofs. Solar collectors may be bracket mounted on flat roofs. Solar collectors may only be mounted on lawfully permitted principal or accessory structures.
(d) All solar energy systems shall use colors that blend with the color of the roof or other structure. Reflection angles from collector surfaces shall be oriented away from neighboring windows. Where necessary, screening may be required to address glare.
(e) The electrical lines connecting to the system shall be placed underground within the interior of each parcel. The collection system may be placed overhead near substations or points of interconnection to the electric grid.
(f) No signage or graphic content may be displayed on the solar collection system except the manufacturer’s badge, safety information and equipment specification information. Said information shall be depicted within an area no more than 36 square inches in size.
(g) Standards and certification. Solar energy systems shall meet the minimum standards outlined by the National Electric Code (NEC), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) or other standards as determined by the Planning Commission. Solar energy systems shall be certified by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. All grid connected systems shall have an agreement with the local utility prior to the issuance of a building permit. A visible external disconnect must be provided if required by the utility.
(h) If the solar energy system remains nonfunctional or inoperative for a continuous period of one year, the system shall be deemed to be abandoned and shall constitute a public nuisance. Owner of any home at which there exists a solar installation shall complete and file with the city an annual certification that their system is still operational and functioning, including supporting documentation, such as utility bills. If no certification is filed, or the certification is insufficient, the city shall have a right to inspect the premises to determine whether it is functioning and/or demand further documentation from the owner as to the operational status of the solar installation. The owner shall remove any abandoned system at their expense, after a demolition permit has been obtained. Removal includes the entire structure including transmission equipment.
(Ord. 21-06, Series 2021, passed 5-25-21) Penalty, see § 150.99