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Planning & Zoning advances renewable energy ordinance work; council informed of SolSmart assistance
Summary
Planning and Zoning told the council it is drafting a renewable energy ordinance and has contacted SolSmart for pro bono technical assistance; the board is considering zones, height, setbacks, conditional use and building-permit thresholds for distributed energy systems.
Lou reported an update from Planning and Zoning: the board is working on a renewable energy ordinance covering solar, wind and geothermal and is pursuing technical assistance from SolSmart, a federally funded program that helps local governments draft energy ordinances.
Planning and Zoning is evaluating which zones will permit different technologies, whether deployment should require conditional-use review (Monticello uses conditional use for its systems) or a general building permit, and what standards should apply for height, setbacks, noise, glint and flicker, bird impacts and viewshed protection. The board also discussed the need to consult building department staff on permitting requirements and to consider distinctions between small residential systems and larger, utility-scale projects.
Councilmembers heard that the board will continue its work and may schedule a joint session to align enforcement planning and code language; staff will coordinate migration of Planning and Zoning documents onto the town’s OneDrive and Zoom platforms.
