11-08-23 PC Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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Minnesota Model Solar Ordinance 16 VIII. Renewable Energy Condition for Certain Permits A. Condition for Planned Unit Development (PUD) Approval - Model Community may require on-site renewable energy systems, zero-net-energy (ZNE) or zero-net-carbon (ZNC) building designs, solar-synchronized electric vehicle charging or other clean energy systems as a condition for approval of a PUD permit to mitigate for: 1. Impacts on the performance of the electric distribution system, 2. Increased local emissions of greenhouse gases associated with the proposal, 3. Need for electric vehicle charging infrastructure to offset transportation-related emissions for trips generated by the new development, 4. Other impacts of the proposed development that are inconsistent with the Model Community Comprehensive Plan. B. Condition for Conditional Use Permit - Model Community may require on-site renewable energy systems or zero net energy construction as a condition for a rezoning or a conditional use permit. IX. Solar Roof Incentives - Model Community encourages incorporating on-site renewable energy system or zero net energy construction for new construction and redevelopment. Model Community may require on-site renewable energy or zero-net- energy construction when issuing a conditional use permit where the project has access to local energy resources, in order to ensure consistency with Model Community’s Climate Action Plan. A. Density Bonus - Any application for subdivision of land in the ___ Districts that will allow the development of at least four new lots of record shall be allowed to increase the maximum number of lots by 10% or one lot, whichever is greater, provided all building and wastewater setbacks can be met with the increased density, if the applicant enters into a development agreement guaranteeing at least three (3) kilowatts of PV for each new residence that has a solar resource. B. Financial Assistance – Model Community provides financial assistance to certain types of development and redevelopment. All projects that receive financial assistance of $________ or greater, and that have a solar resource shall incorporate on-site renewable energy systems. Renewable Energy Conditions, Incentives The community can use traditional development tools such as conditional use permits, PUDs, or other discretionary permits to encourage private investment in solar energy systems as part of new development or redevelopment. This model ordinance notes these opportunities for consideration by local governments. In most cases, additional ordinance language would need to be tailored to the community’s ordinances. For instance, a provision that PUDs (or other special district or flexible design standard) incorporate solar energy should be incorporated into the community’s PUD ordinance rather than being a provision of the solar standards. Conditional use permits generally include conditions, and those conditions can include renewable energy or zero net energy design, but only if the conditions are clearly given preference in adopted policy or plans. Explicit reference to climate or energy independence goals in the ordinance and explicit preference for such conditions will set a foundation for including such conditions in the permit. Solar Roof Incentives This section of the model ordinance includes a series of incentives that can be incorporated into development regulation. Most cities and many counties use incentives to encourage public amenities or preferred design. These same tools and incentives can be used to encourage private investment in solar energy. Communities should use incentives that are already offered, and simply extend that incentive to appropriate solar development. Some of the incentives noted here are not zoning incentives, but fit more readily into incentive programs offered by the community (such as financing or incentive-based design standards).