City to regulate solar panelsJul 10 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Kim Norvell St. Joseph News-Press, Mo.July 10--A new code passed Monday by the City Council will regulate solar panels in the city, something that's considered a growing venture in St. Joseph. The motion, passed unanimously by the council, provides guidelines to residents wanting to install Accessory Solar Energy Systems at their homes. Dustin Smith, city planner, said the code regulates solar arrays on both roofs and yards. The new code was written with the help of the Environmental Protection Agency, due to a lack of regulations causing confusion among residents wanting to take advantage of alternative energy. "It was because we are seeing more of them," said Mr. Smith regarding the new language. "What we've seen most so far is the roof-mounted arrays. But as the ground arrays get more prevalent, it was really more of a public service so the solar companies had more of an idea of what they need to do and what the guidelines are." Mr. Smith said about 50 permits were submitted in 2012 for solar structures in St. Joseph. He estimated he reviews at least four per month. Major highlights of the code include: Panels must be placed to minimize glare on adjacent properties. Support structures for ground-level panels must be screened, using lattices or landscaping, from view of rights-of-way and residential properties. Structures located in designated historic districts must comply with historic district regulations. Homeowners' associations may not prohibit solar energy systems at homes within their subdivision. Roof-mounted panels may not exceed maximum structure height by 3 feet. Panels may not be placed in front yards, except for primary use in light and heavy manufacturing districts. Passage of the code was delayed for three months after a representative from the Electrical Standards and Appeals Board voiced concerns over wording. Those changes were fixed without major changes to the substance of the code, Mr. Smith said. Kim Norvell can be reached at kim.norvell@newspressnow.com. Follow her on Twitter: @SJNPNorvell. http://www.energycentral.com/functional/news/news_detail.cfm?did=29252878 |