PB Agenda Packet - June 4 2025 - Laserfiche WebLink

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26 1097 Patrick Mallett: And not entirely obviously, but it would offset some portion of that, but I think the point of this 1098 graphic is to show that I would not have guessed that that was 30 percent of our overall 1099 emissions. 1100 1101 Lamar Proctor: Just a general question. So, these amendments,what's the practical effect? Like what will it do in 1102 terms of these solar arrays for which they cover. 1103 1104 Patrick Mallett: We feel like the language aligns with the model ordinances that NC State has, that Solar Smart 1105 has that they've identified. I really wasn't driving this amendment. It was Amy and that initiative 1106 and that collaboration with working with her group and others to make it more understandable, 1107 transparent, and less fluff and requirements that are not necessary. To give you an example, 1108 there's a requirement for a roof load. You have to get a structural engineer to approve that it 1109 meets the supports. That's covered in the building code. We don't need it in the ordinance. It's 1110 another layer of documentation and bureaucracy that's already there. 1111 1112 Beth Bronson: I have one question. For Page 103, it says standards for farm related solar arrays. If you had 1113 bona fide farm status, you were allowed to develop solar arrays? Would having a solar array 1114 create bona fide farm status? 1115 1116 Patrick Mallett: No. Completely separate. And part of that, I'll add a parenthetical to this that that was included at 1117 the request of Solar Smart initiative and Amy Eckberg, also economic development. There's a 1118 movement called photo-aggro-voltaics and that's the placement of solar arrays on farms and 1119 studying the impacts,the temperature on a farm and the moisture composition. 1120 1121 Beth Bronson: It's called innovative farming. 1122 1123 Patrick Mallett: It's probably a good idea. 1124 1125 Beth Bronson: Yeah, it is and I don't mean anything to doubt it. I just didn't know if you were able to create a 1126 solar array farm and then say that you're making money off of it. 1127 1128 Patrick Mallett: I don't want to get too far down the utility rabbit hole, but in all instances our state, is pretty 1129 definitive about power,who can create power. Who cannot create power,who has the ability to be 1130 able to.A farm can't be a public utility,a subdivision can't be a public utility. 1131 1132 Beth Bronson: Did Orange County want to manage that, or they couldn't? Well, not Orange County, but if a utility 1133 company wanted to manage that solar array on a bona fide farm. 1134 1135 Patrick Mallett: They'd have to get a special use permit to do that. 1136 1137 Beth Bronson: Okay. 1138 1139 Lamar Proctor: Any other discussion about the specifics of the language or any discussion about proposed 1140 amendments to any of the language covered by this agenda item? 1141 1142 Beth Bronson: Is there any reason that the solar array shouldn't be available at every type of land use?So,within 1143 R-1, R-2, R-8. Is there any reason that there was no exception or exemptions for locations for 1144 solar arrays? 1145 1146 Patrick Mallett: No, because it's also covered with what it's supporting. Whether it's to a non-residential use. 1147 Theoretically this could come up in any of the districts with performance standards. And does 1148 anyone have any other questions before we make a motion. I do want to draw your attention to 1149 one item. If you turn to the table of permitted uses on Page 98, you'll see land use item sited on 1150 the table of permitted uses. Item No. 73. The county attorney's office, has of course, seen this. 1151 We always vet this through legal. He had pointed out,we don't necessarily call out accessories