Orange County NC Website
Article 5: Uses 204 <br /> Section 5.9: Standards for Utilities <br /> may take the form of a small enclosed structure properly vented to allow <br /> for air flow, fence, or landscape hedge. <br /> (i) Mechanical equipment shall not be located within the required setback <br /> areas for the underlying zoning district as detailed within Article 3 or <br /> within required landscaped areas as required under Section 6.8. <br /> Q) Before commencement of earth disturbing activities, the property owner <br /> must acknowledge that he/she is the responsible party for owning and <br /> ensuring the perpetual maintenance of the solar array. <br /> (k) In cases where a solar array has not been in operation for a period of 6 <br /> months due to a malfunction or other defect the property owner shall <br /> affect repair(s)to the system within 30 days of notice from the County in <br /> accordance with Section 9.5 of the UDO. <br /> In cases were the array has been deemed unsafe it shall be removed or <br /> repaired immediately in accordance with Section 9.5.5 of the UDO. <br /> (2) Standards for Building Mounted Devices: <br /> (a) An array may be mounted on the roof of a principal or an accessory <br /> structure located on the property. <br /> (b) The array shall be viewed as an extension of the roof structure and, as a <br /> result, shall not exceed the maximum building height detailed within <br /> Article 3 for the underlying zoning district where the property is located. <br /> (c) As part of the building permit review process, structural engineering shall <br /> be provided demonstrating the roof can support the weight of the <br /> proposed array. <br /> (3) Standards for Ground Mounted Devices: <br /> (a) Ground mounted system shall not exceed a maximum height of 15 feet <br /> from finished grade. <br /> (b) The surface area of a ground mounted system, regardless of the <br /> mounted angle, shall be calculated as part of the overall impervious <br /> surface area for the parcel in accordance with the provisions of Section <br /> 4.2. <br /> (c) Arrays shall be allowed to be erected anywhere on the property outside <br /> of established setback areas, designated open space areas, and <br /> well/septic system setback areas as identified by Orange County <br /> Environmental Health. <br /> (d) Arrays shall observe the principal setback requirements of the underlying <br /> zoning district where the property is located as detailed within Article 3. <br /> In the case of an array erected on a non-residentially zoned property, the <br /> array shall not be located within any required setback, landscape, or <br /> buffer area. <br /> (e) If a ground mounted array is removed, any earth disturbance shall be <br /> graded and reseeded within 60 days. <br /> (B) Submittal Requirements and Standards of Evaluation for Solar Array— Large <br /> Facility(Class-B Special Use Permit) <br /> (1) Submittal Requirements <br /> In addition to the information required by Section 2.7, the following shall be <br /> submitted as part of the application: <br /> (a) A site plan showing all existing structures on the property, any proposed <br /> buildings or structures that are necessary to support the proposed array, <br /> Orange County, North Carolina—Unified Development Ordinance Page 5-73 <br />