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Item No: 7A <br />Meeting Date: July 24, 2013 <br />Type of Business: Other Planning Activity <br /> <br /> <br />City of Mounds View Staff Report <br />To: Planning Commission <br />From: Heidi Heller, Planning Associate <br />Item Title/Subject: Renewable Energy Code Amendment <br /> <br /> <br />The Planning Commission has been reviewing the Zoning Code in regards to renewable <br />energy system installations, such as solar energy, wind generators or geothermal systems. <br />The City should update the City Code to help promote renewable energy systems and not <br />hinder or make it difficult for a property owner to install a system. There is now a lot of <br />information available about these systems, and the City can make better decisions about how <br />and where renewable energy system installations are done. <br /> <br />DISCUSS: <br />The Planning Commission has discussed what regulations to include when creating a new <br />ordinance for the three different types of renewable energy: solar energy systems (SES), <br />geothermal systems (GSHPS) and wind energy conversion systems (WECS). Staff has put <br />together ordinance language that includes these three systems for the Planning Commission <br />to review. <br /> <br />The Planning Commission discussed the proposed ordinance at the July 9, 2013 meeting and <br />suggested a few details to include. Staff has added a definition for large and small WECS <br />(wind energy conversion systems). Other ordinances defined large and small WECS by either <br />size or electrical capacity. Since the proposed language already specified height limitations for <br />the large and small WECS, staff defined them by electrical capacity. Staff also specified a two <br />acre minimum lot size required for large WECS in Chapter 1128.05 Subd. 2a1. <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />The Planning Commission should review and discuss the proposed language for new Chapter <br />1128, Renewable Energy Systems. Resolution 986-13 is included if the Commission is <br />satisfied with the language and ready to pass the amendment on to the City Council. <br /> <br />Sincerely, <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Heidi Heller <br />Planning Associate <br /> <br /> <br />Attachments: <br />1. Resolution 986-13 <br /> <br />