01-08-24-SWS - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - JANUARY 8, 2024 9 Councilmember Fabel agreed with the proposal. Councilmember Monson also agreed. Mayor Grant said as long as they could assess it and put it out as a trial he was OK with it. E. Ground Mounted Solar Energy Systems in Residential Districts Discussion Community Development Director Jagoe said that in November, 2023, the City Council reviewed Planning Case 23-018 from Mr. Wahlberg for a request to amend city ordinances to allow for ground -mounted solar energy systems in residential zoning districts. Based on discussions with Councilmember Monson, there are two draft ordinances for Council review. Attachment A removes screening requirements entirely and Attachment B is a modified version of screening requirements. Both revisions have been amended to allow for ground -mounted solar energy systems to be located in the side yard and remove language for glare and nonfunctioning systems. Councilmember Monson added that her preference is the no screening option but she believed the Council would want to go with some language for screening in case there was a problem. Overall, they are extremely difficult to screen, and screening could create problems for the facility. Councilmember Holden stated that you could have someone with a large yard so it wouldn't be visible from their house but the neighbor would look at it. If it doesn't reduce the efficiency, she thought they should be able to say there should be some screening. Councilmember Rousseau said the Planning Commission has concerns around this issue such as screening impacting the overall effectiveness, and additional costs. She was OK with removing the screening. Councilmember Fabel asked if the no screening option gave more discretion to the department to review each application? Community Development Director Jagoe replied that with the no screening option they wouldn't require or look for that, so the applicant wouldn't need to produce anything that said where they had fencing or trees. Councilmember Monson said in her experience of doing this for the last ten years you can't hide the systems, so she wouldn't ask people to spend more money to try to hide them. Councilmember Fabel said he would go along with that. Mayor Grant asked if they choose the option for some screening, could they waive the screening. Community Development Director Jagoe said yes, if the applicant can show that the screening reduced the efficiency of the system or the cost of the system was increased as a result, they could say it wouldn't be required; the language in Draft Ordinance #2 would allow that review. Mayor Grant said due to the many different kinds of lots in Arden Hills, he would rather have the screening and waive it than not have the screening and someone proposes something they felt required screening.