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Minnesota Model Solar Ordinance 4 <br />Model Ordinance <br />I. Scope - This article applies to all solar energy installations in Model Community. <br />II. Purpose - Model Community has adopted this regulation for the following purposes: <br />A. Comprehensive Plan Goals - To meet the goals of the Comprehensive Plan and preserve the health, <br />safety and welfare of the community by promoting the safe, <br />effective and efficient use of solar energy systems. The solar <br />energy standards specifically implement the following goals <br />from the Comprehensive Plan: <br />1. Goal – Encourage the use of local renewable energy <br />resources, including appropriate applications for wind, <br />solar, and biomass energy. <br />2. Goal – Promote sustainable building design and <br />management practices to serve current and future <br />generations. <br />3. Goal – Assist local businesses to lower financial and <br />regulatory risks and improve their economic, community, <br />and environmental sustainability. <br />4. Goal – Implement the solar resource protection element <br />required under the Metropolitan Land Planning Act. <br />B. Climate Change Goals - Model Community has committed to <br />reducing carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions. Solar <br />energy is an abundant, renewable, and nonpolluting energy resource and its conversion to electricity or <br />heat reduces dependence on nonrenewable energy resources and decreases the air and water pollution <br />that results from the use of conventional energy sources. <br />C. Infrastructure - Distributed solar photovoltaic systems will <br />enhance the reliability and power quality of the power grid <br />and make more efficient use of Model Community’s electric <br />distribution infrastructure. <br />D. Local Resource - Solar energy is an underused local energy <br />resource and encouraging the use of solar energy will diversify <br />the community’s energy supply portfolio and reduce exposure <br />to fiscal risks associated with fossil fuels. <br />E. Improve Competitive Markets - Solar energy systems offer <br />additional energy choice to consumers and will improve competition in the electricity and natural gas <br />supply market. <br />  <br />Comprehensive Plan Goals <br />Tying the solar energy ordinance to <br />Comprehensive Plan goals is particularly <br />important for helping users (both Planning <br />Commission and community members) <br />understand why the community is developing <br />and administering regulation. <br />The language here provides examples of <br />different types of Comprehensive Plan goals, <br />and other policy goals that the community <br />may have that are served by enabling <br />and encouraging solar development. The <br />community should substitute its policy goals <br />for these examples. <br />If the Comprehensive Plan does not include <br />goals supporting local solar development), <br />the community should consider creating a <br />local energy plan or similar policy document <br />to provide a policy foundation for solar <br />development regulation (as noted in II.B) . <br />Metropolitan Land Planning Act <br />Minnesota local governments subject to <br />the Metropolitan Land Planning Act are <br />required in their comprehensive plans to <br />plan for the protection and development <br />of solar resources. Communities must then <br />incorporate Plan goals in their local controls. <br />This ordinance implements that required <br />Comprehensive Plan element.