Proposed solar panel regulations come to Council Committee

Integrated and roof-mounted solar panels would be permitted in most areas of Fayette County under this ZOTA — including residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural areas. Small-scale ground-mounted installations would also be allowed in most areas of Lexington excluding agricultural land.

Small- and medium-scale ground-mounted systems would be allowed in most commercial zones as an Accessory Use, meaning that they can complement a separate use on the property.

Small- and medium-scale ground-mounted systems would be allowed as a Principal Use in the B-4 (Warehouse) zone, both I-1 and I-2 industrial zones, and the E-D (Economic Development zone as a Principal Use, meaning that a property owner could build a solar panel installation on the ground without any other uses or buildings to go alongside the panels. The property could solely be used for the solar panels.

Ground-mounted solar of any scale would not be allowed in any agricultural areas. Planning Staff, the Planning Commission, and other members of the community who oppose recent solar panel farm proposals argue that there is not enough current information about how solar panels would affect the quality of agricultural soil.

Republished from CivicLex.

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