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Proposed Auburndale plan would permit floating solar on agricultural land uses
Summary
As part of the Comprehensive Plan amendments transmitted for state review, staff and the consultant said floating solar facilities would be added as permitted uses in Agriculture future land-use areas under state law (F.S. 163.32051); local regulations would still control buffers, landscaping and zoning review.
The Planning Commission on Oct. 1 considered language that would add floating solar and other solar facilities to the list of permitted uses in the Agriculture future land-use classification in Auburndale’s Comprehensive Plan.
Laura Canary, project manager for Inspire Placemaking Collective LLC, described the change as state-driven: “Floating solar facilities and solar facilities shall be permitted uses in this future land use classification,” she told the commission, citing Chapter 2022-83 and F.S. 163.32051. Staff noted the Agriculture FLU designation has not been applied to lands inside the city at present, and that any specific floating solar project would require applicable land-use and zoning approvals and technical review.
The state statute cited authorizes counties and municipalities to allow floating solar in appropriate land-use categories and directs local governments to update land development regulations to permit expanded uses. Staff noted local governments may specify buffer and landscaping requirements for floating solar but that those requirements may not exceed what is required for similar solar facilities in agricultural districts; the statute also contains exceptions for Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir projects where negative impacts could be found.
Commission discussion clarified that the Planning Commission’s action at this meeting was a recommendation to transmit policy language to the City Commission and the state; any actual floating solar installation would require site-specific reviews and approvals, including future land-use and zoning actions by the city and associated staff review.
