Florence holds public hearing on Boone County-led zoning text amendments to regulate solar systems and battery storage

The City of Florence held a public hearing April 15 to review zoning text amendments forwarded by the Boone County Planning Commission that would define and regulate solar energy systems and battery energy storage systems within Florence’s municipal limits.

Planning presenter Mr. Morgan summarized the proposed ordinance language, including new definitions for rooftop, integrated and ground-mounted solar energy systems; a three-tier footprint system for ground-mounted arrays (tier 1: footprint less than 2,500 square feet or no more than 10% of the principal structure’s roof area; tier 2: 2,500 square feet to 5 acres; tier 3: greater than 5 acres); and two tiers for battery energy storage (tier 1: aggregate capacity ≤600 kilowatt-hours; tier 2: capacity >600 kWh or multiple storage technologies). Mr. Morgan said some Florence provisions are identical to those adopted by the Boone County Fiscal Court while others are stricter or tailored for city zoning districts.

Why it matters: the draft would allow rooftop systems as accessory uses in all Florence zoning districts subject to roof-location and height limits and new visibility rules; it would permit some ground-mounted systems only in industrial and airport zones as accessory uses and make tier 1 ground-mounts conditional in agricultural zones; and it would limit certain battery facilities to conditional use in industrial and airport zones with setbacks, noise and decommissioning rules. The changes would also specify concealment requirements for wiring and screening or interior placement for inverters and equipment.

Key provisions…