Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Visual Impact topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planners push for 3‑D renderings, audio and site visits to assess solar glare and noise
Summary
Commissioners asked the zoning subcommittee to require renderings of glint and glare and encouraged applicants to supply audio/noise files and larger-format maps to help the commission and supervisors evaluate visual and acoustic impacts of utility- and community-scale solar projects.
Commissioner (speaker 2) told the commission the draft ordinance adds requirements for applicants to "describe and provide renderings of any glint or glare" and to provide noise information so the county can better judge the real-world effect of projects on neighbors. Commissioners said 3‑D visualizations and site visits are technologies and tactics already used elsewhere that could improve local review.
Staff and commissioners discussed practical formats and evidence: Commissioner (speaker 2) suggested audio files to demonstrate claimed decibel levels and larger 24×36 map prints because PDF resolution can hide details. "If we could actually hear some of these things that they say we're gonna hear... maybe it would help us and the board of supervisors make a better decision," she said, recommending officers consider site visits and higher-resolution exhibits at the public hearing stage.
