Township considers new ordinance

 Fenton Township residents seeking to install solar panels for energy will soon have more guidance.

 On Tuesday, June 6, the Fenton Township Board of Trustees held the first reading for an ordinance to regulate solar power facilities and clarify the rules for personal solar panels in the township.

 "We have residents applying for roof-top solar panels just about every week…The main goal of the ordinance is to create regulations for solar energy facilities. We have recently begun to receive calls regarding building solar energy facilities in the township. It is important that the township have an ordinance in place to properly regulate solar energy facilities," said Michael Deem, zoning administrator.

 The purpose of the ordinance is to "facilitate the construction, installation and operation of Solar Energy Facilities (SEFs) in Fenton Township in a manner that protects public health, safety and welfare and avoids significant impacts to protected resources such as important agricultural lands, endangered species, high value biological habitats and other protected resources."

 A solar energy facility (SEF) is designed to provide on-site energy for any legally established use of a property.

 The ordinance creates two classifications for solar energy systems- direct use and primary use. Direct use solar energy systems are systems that generate power for onsite usage. Primary solar energy systems use more than 50% of the land and are for systems that generate power solely for off-site consumption.

 Direct use solar energy systems would be treated similar to accessory structures. Primary use systems would be treated as a special use in the agricultural, residential-1, residential-2 and industrial 1-3 zoning districts. A primary use system requires site plan and special use approval from the planning commission.

 The ordinance provides setback, height, and screening requirements as well as a decommission plan and abandonment restoration process. If an SEF does not provide energy for 12 months, it could be classified as abandoned. Deem said the decommissioning plan also includes a requirement for a bond that would cover 150% of the cost of returning the property to its original state that would be reviewed every five years.

 The recommended height restriction for ground mounted solar panels is 19 feet. If its ground mounted, it can be up to 19 feet. If it's on the roof, it can be 5 feet above the roof surface.

 Property owners with SEFs would be required to adhere to a 75-foot setback for primary use facilities. The ordinance also requires landscape buffers in residential areas.

 "When you think about what negative impacts you would have from solar energy facilities, the main one is just the visual impact. How can we mitigate that? Well, push it back farther off the property lines and have them properly screened," Deem said.

 The township also would require a land coverage plan and maintenance plan to avoid erosion. Additional environmental factors are septic system avoidance, floodplain avoidance, groundwater management, site stabilization and more.

 The Fenton Township Planning Commission recommended approval for the ordinance at the May 11 meeting.

 Treasurer John Tucker said it's not only Fenton Township that is receiving inquiries about solar panels and it's worthwhile to have an ordinance in place.

 Supervisor Vince Lorraine asked about fencing around the solar facilities. Deem said that would be decided during the site plan review.

 The full proposed ordinance can be read at fentontownship.org.

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