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South Miami board backs six-month moratorium on residential solar requirement
Summary
The Planning Board recommended that the City Commission adopt a six‑month moratorium on enforcement of the residential solar requirement in the Land Development Code to allow staff to study revisions that balance sustainability goals with lower economic burdens for homeowners. Staff said the solar trust fund was never enforced.
The Planning Board voted to recommend a six‑month moratorium on enforcement of LDC section 20-3.6(w), the city's residential solar photovoltaic requirement, to allow time for study and comprehensive revision. Staff said the pause will exempt applicants with active permits and allow the Commission to consider alternatives, incentives and a broader green‑building approach.
"The Commission wishes to enact a moratorium on the enforcement of the regulations so that they can study and analyze those regulations," staff said while presenting the draft ordinance. The draft sets a six‑month default moratorium that may be extended or dissolved earlier by the Commission and exempts projects with active permits as of the moratorium effective date.
Board members questioned whether six months is sufficient and asked about the status of the solar trust fund created in 2021. The development services director responded plainly: "There is nothing. It was never enforced." Staff said they have submitted a report to the city manager and commission and will address fund‑collection issues separately as they study the programming.
The board voted to recommend the moratorium to the City Commission. The recommendation includes staff's ability to exempt active permits and the Commission's option to extend or terminate the moratorium as needed.
