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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-11-13 agendaFalcon Heights Environment Commission March 11, 2013 6:30 p.m. Agenda 1) Election of Commission Chair for 2013 (Tabled from January) 2) Approval of Minutes for December, 2012 (tabled from January) and January, 2013 3) Chicken Ordinance Update – Council Member Mercer Taylor, Staff 4) Proposed solar energy amendments to the Zoning Code - Staff 5) Review of Recycling Contract (expires 12/31/13, eligible for extension) - Staff 6) Information and Announcements – Council, Staff, Commissioners a. Updates from Council – Council Member Mercer-Taylor b. Updates from Staff – Deb Jones c. Other Announcements Solar Energy Ordinance: Draft 1 City of Falcon Heights This draft is based on the model solar ordinance offered through the Minnesota Solar Challenge, funded by Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Sustainable Communities Grant. I. Purpose and Scope. The City of Falcon Heights has adopted this ordinance to meet the Comprehensive Plan goal of becoming a sustainable, energy efficient community and to preserve the health, safety and welfare of the community’s citizens by promoting the safe, effective and efficiant use of solar energy systems to reduce consumption of fossil fuels. This article applies to all solar energy installations in the City of Falcon Heights. II. Definitions. Photovoltaic System: An active solar energy system that converts solar energy directly into electricity. Renewable Energy Easement: An easement that limits the height or location, or both, of permissible development on the burdened land in terms of a structure or vegetation, or both, for the purpose of providing access for the benefited land to wind or sunlight passing over the burdened land. Renewable Energy System: A solar energy or wind energy system. Passive systems that serve dual functions, such as greenhouses or windows, are not considered renewable energy systems. Roof Pitch: The final exterior slope of a building roof typically but not exclusively expressed as a ratio of the distance, in inches, of vertical “rise” to the distance, in inches, of horizontal “run,” such as 3:12, 9:12, 12:12. Solar Access: A view of the sun, from any point on the collector surface, that is not obscured by any vegetation, building, or object located on parcels of land other than the parcel upon which the solar collector is located, between the hours of 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM Standard time on any day of the year. Solar Collector: A device, structure or a part of a device or structure for which the primary purpose is to transform solar radiant energy into thermal, mechanical, chemical, or electrical energy. Solar Collector Surface: Any part of a solar collector that absorbs solar energy for use in the collector’s energy transformation process. Collector surface does not include frames, supports and mounting hardware. Solar Daylighting: A device specifically designed to capture and redirect the visible portion of the solar spectrum, while controlling the infrared portion, for use in illuminating interior building spaces in lieu of artificial lighting. Solar Energy: Radiant energy received from the sun that can be collected in the form of heat or light by a solar collector. Solar Energy Device: A system or series of mechanisms designed primarily to provide heating, to provide cooling, to produce electrical power, to produce mechanical power, to provide solar daylighting or to provide any combination of the foregoing by means of collecting and transferring solar generated energy into such uses either by active or passive means. Such systems may also have the capability of storing such energy for future utilization. Passive solar systems shall clearly be designed as a solar energy device such as a trombe wall and not merely a part of a normal structure such as a window. Solar Energy Easement: See "Renewable Energy Easement." Solar Energy System: A device or structural design feature, a substantial purpose of which is to provide daylight for interior lighting or provide for the collection, storage and distribution of solar energy for space heating or cooling, electricity generating, or water heating. Solar Heat Exchanger: A component of a solar energy device that is used to transfer heat from one substance to another, either liquid or gas. Solar Hot Water System: A system that includes a solar collector and a heat exchanger that heats or preheats water for building heating systems or other hot water needs, including residential domestic hot water and hot water for commercial processes. Solar Mounting Devices: Devices that allow the mounting of a solar collector onto a roof surface or the ground. Solar Storage Unit: A component of a solar energy device that is used to store solar generated electricity or heat for later use. Solar System, Active: A solar energy system that transforms solar energy into another form of energy or transfers heat from a collector to another medium using mechanical, electrical, or chemical means. Solar System, Building-Integrated: An active solar system that is an integral part of a principal or accessory building, rather than a separate mechanical device, replacing or substituting for an architectural or structural component of the building. Building- integrated systems include but are not limited to photovoltaic or hot water solar systems that are contained within roofing materials, windows, skylights, and awnings. Solar System, Grid-Intertie: A photovoltaic solar system that is connected to an electric circuit served by an electric utility company. Solar System, Off-Grid: A photovoltaic solar system in which the circuits energized by the solar system are not electrically connected in any way to electric circuits that are served by an electric utility company. Solar System, Passive: A solar energy system that captures solar light or heat without transforming it to another form of energy or transferring the energy via a heat exchanger. III. Permitted Accessory Use - Active solar energy systems shall be allowed as an accessory use in all zoning classifications where structures of any sort are allowed, subject to certain requirements as set forth below. A. Height - Active solar energy systems must meet the following height requirements: 1. Building- or roof- mounted solar energy systems shall not exceed the maximum allowed height in any zoning district. For purposes for height measurement, solar energy systems other than building-integrated systems shall be considered to be mechanical devices and are restricted consistent with other building-mounted mechanical devices. 2. Ground- or pole-mounted solar energy systems shall not exceed 20 [number of feet to be determined: 15 or 20] feet in height when oriented at maximum tilt. B. Set-back - Active solar energy systems must meet the accessory structure setback for the zoning district and primary land use associated with the lot on which the system is located. 1. Roof-mounted Solar energy systems - In addition to the building setback, the collector surface and mounting devices for roof-mounted solar energy systems shall not extend beyond the exterior perimeter of the building on which the system is mounted or built. Exterior piping for solar hot water systems shall be allowed to extend beyond the perimeter of the building on a side yard exposure. 2. Ground-mounted Solar energy systems - Ground-mounted solar energy systems may not extend into the side-yard or rear setback when oriented at minimum design tilt. C. Visibility - Active solar energy systems shall be designed to blend into the architecture of the building or be screened from routine view from public right-of- ways other than alleys. The color of the solar collector is not required to be consistent with other roofing materials. 1. Building Integrated Photovoltaic Systems - Building integrated photovoltaic solar energy systems shall be allowed regardless of whether the system is visible from the public right-of-way, provided the building component in which the system is integrated meets all required setback, land use or performance standards for the district in which the building is located. 2. Solar Energy Systems with Mounting Devices - Solar energy systems using roof mounting devices or ground-mount solar energy systems shall not be restricted if the system is not visible from the closest edge of any public right- of-way other than an alley. Roof-mount systems that are visible from the nearest edge of the street frontage right-of-way shall not have a highest finished pitch steeper than the roof pitch on which the system is mounted, and shall be no higher than twelve (12) inches above the roof. 3. Coverage - Roof or building mounted solar energy systems, excluding building-integrated systems, shall not cover more than 80% of the south- facing or flat roof upon which the panels are mounted. The surface area of pole or ground mount systems shall not exceed half the building footprint of the principal structure. 4. Lot Coverage – The surface area of pole of ground mount systems shall be treated as impervious coverage as regulated for each zoning classification. Allowed impervious coverage may be increased by up to 10% above maximum lot coverage for the zone provided 100% of the excess is accounted for by an approved solar ground or pole mounted solar energy system. D. Approved Solar Components - Electric solar energy system components must have a UL listing and solar hot water systems must have an SRCC rating. E. Plan Approval Required - All solar energy systems shall require administrative plan approval by the Zoning and Planning Administrator. 1. Plan Applications - Plan applications for solar energy systems shall be accompanied by a site plan and by to-scale horizontal and vertical (elevation) drawings. The drawings must show the location of the system on the building or on the property for a ground-mount system, including the property lines. 2. Pitched Roof Mounted Solar Energy Systems - For all roof-mounted systems other than a flat roof the elevation must show the highest finished slope of the solar collector and the slope of the finished roof surface on which it is mounted. 3. Flat Roof Mounted Solar Energy Systems - For flat roof applications a drawing shall be submitted showing the distance to the roof edge and any parapets on the building and shall identify the height of the building on the street frontage side, the shortest distance of the system from the street frontage edge of the building, and the highest finished height of the solar collector above the finished surface of the roof. 4. Plan Approvals - Applications that meet the design requirements of this ordinance shall be granted administrative approval by the zoning official and shall not require Planning Commission review. Plan approval does not indicate compliance with Building Code or Electric Code. F. Compliance with Building Code - All active solar energy systems shall require a building permit. G. Compliance with State Electric Code - All photovoltaic systems shall comply with the Minnesota State Electric Code. H. Compliance with State Plumbing Code - Solar thermal systems shall comply with applicable Minnesota State Plumbing Code requirements. I. Utility Notification - No grid-intertie photovoltaic system shall be installed until evidence has been given to the Planning and Zoning Department that the owner has submitted notification to the utility company of the customer’s intent to install an interconnected customer-owned generator. Off-grid systems are exempt from this requirement. Section 113-393 to be amended as follows: Sec. 113-393. - Solar systems. Access to sunlight for active and passive solar systems (for heating and cooling of buildings) shall be protected in accordance with applicable state statutes and regulations. All active solar systems proposed shall require a conditional use permit.