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Council accepts introduction of ordinance to regulate rooftop, ground‑mounted and carport solar
Summary
Council introduced an ordinance drafted by the Sustainability Commission and recommended by the Planning Commission to add code provisions permitting and regulating roof‑mounted, ground‑mounted, carport and building‑integrated solar systems and to set setbacks, height limits and glare protections.
Sterling Heights — The City Council voted to introduce an amendment to zoning ordinance No. 278 that would regulate the location and use of roof‑mounted, ground‑mounted, carport and building‑integrated solar energy systems.
City Planner Dr. Jake Parcel presented the ordinance, saying the Sustainability Commission drafted the amendment in 2024 and the Planning Commission recommended it unanimously at its July meeting. Dr. Parcel said the ordinance is intended to codify practices already occurring under building permits, remove barriers in permitting, and permit modest expansion of solar as an accessory use while excluding utility‑scale solar.
Key provisions Dr. Parcel described include allowing roof‑mounted panels in all zoning districts except the P‑1 parking district and floodplain and permitting tilt up to 10 feet above a roof to accommodate modern panel technology. Ground‑mounted systems would be limited to 15 feet tall (10 feet on residential lots under a quarter acre), must be in rear yards on residential parcels, and be subject to standard accessory‑structure setbacks; lot coverage by arrays would be limited to 20 percent. Carport solar would be allowed on nonresidential land uses and two‑family districts with a maximum 20‑foot height; building‑integrated systems such as solar shingles would be permitted where the underlying building is allowed. All installations would require building permits and comply with building and electrical codes.
Sustainability Commission chair (in attendance) clarified that "carport solar" as written envisions dedicated carport structures with integrated panels on larger commercial/industrial parking areas, not small residential carports; Dr. Parcel confirmed roof‑mounted panels on an existing home carport would be treated as roof‑mounted systems for permitting.
Councilmember Mary Seroski moved to introduce the ordinance; the motion was supported and carried. Dr. Parcel and council members said they expect the ordinance to streamline permitting and to be revisited for a broader zoning rewrite in the future.
