An uptick in Board of Zoning Appeals requests for solar collector variances recently led the Richmond City Council to take the first steps to amending its solar ordinance.
On May 2 during a regular meeting the Richmond City Council approved a motion to introduce and give a first reading to ordinance 156-31, which amends section 7.04 of city ordinances regarding solar collectors and similar facilities. Mayor Tim Rix said that this was just the first reading of the ordinance, and that the matter would appear on the council’s next regular meeting agenda for a second reading. The next regular meeting is scheduled for May 16 at 7 p.m.
“The city council may have noticed that recently our Board of Zoning Appeals has been meeting more regularly as they take requests for variances from our solar ordinance. Our current solar ordinance limits the total area of solar collectors to 32 square feet which is very restrictive,” City Manager Jon Moore said. “The average area of the variances that are being requested were for between 400 and 500 square feet of solar collectors. So one thing that we did notice when we had those and talked to some of the people from the industry, in addition to any limits that the community puts on, really DTE sets the size of what a household is allowed to put in.”
Moore also said that after a series of reviews, including information presented from people in the industry, the planning commission approved submitting an ordinance to the city council.
The planning commission reviewed the solar ordinance for the first time at their Oct. 14, 2021 regular meeting. At this meeting Moore provided several solar ordinances from other communities for review. The commission reached a consensus that an ordinance from Cooper Township was the most complete, according to council brief information.
“I just want to thank the planning commission for all of their work, it was you guys who had, who heard Rick Coletti during a Board of Zoning Appeals meeting and wanted him to come back to a future meeting to discuss with us,” Planning and Economic Development Director Troy Jeschke said on May 2. “So that meeting, I think, went very far to change, well change, the feelings about what this can do.”
On Feb. 10 during a planning commission meeting, the commission held a question and answer session with Rick Coletti of Orange Cell Solar about residential solar installations.
City council board brief information indicates that on March 10, the planning commission reviewed the proposed solar ordinance and were in agreement with proposed changes. The city planner reviewed and investigated documentation regarding solar collector types, council briefs indicate.
Councilor Michael Misteravich thanked the planning commission for its extensive discussion and investigation.
“Because as the chair of the ZBA board we have had four, I believe that came because our, obviously our ordinance was outdated and inadequate,” Misteravich said.
Granting variances became almost routine, according to Misteravich.
“So now I feel more comfortable that we are not doing that and it is going to be part of the normal process for getting it,” Misteravich said.
Jeschke described the process for a resident to get a solar panel.
“Normally we will get an application from, we will get a package from a solar company stating we would like to have solar, or the owners of this property would like solar. We then turn it in to a building permit where I review the physical location,” Jeschke said.
Jeschke said that next the information goes to the building inspector. Moore said that once it reaches the building level, information goes to the building inspector and the electrical inspector.
“The building inspector reviews the whole application but as part of the permanent process, both the building inspector and electrical inspector look at it,” Moore said.
Rix said that DTE Energy also examines it before such a system becomes activated. Moore said that if the solar panels then fall outside of the city ordinance, a variance is necessary.
Also on May 2, the Richmond City Council:
• Approved a revised special event application for the Richmond Police Officers Association (RPOA) Pig Roast and Golf Cart Rodeo event. The event is scheduled for Aug. 7 at Beebe Street Memorial Park from noon to 4 p.m. Moore said that the RPOA was approached by BMC Golf Carts for a partnership to expand the event, adding a golf cart show and golf cart drag race. The council approved a motion for adding the two new events to the RPOA special event requests, under the conditions that the city council waive the requirements for a golf cart registration on Aug. 7 to accommodate non-Richmond golf carts, and that the BMC or RPOA provide insurance to cover themselves and the city for the golf cart races.
• Approved authorizing additional expenses of $12,900 for design engineering services on the Howard Street storm sewer outlet project by Tetra Tech, with expenses charged to the appropriate line item in the Major Street Fund.
• Accepted a letter of resignation from the planning commission by Robert Majchrzak.
Nicole Tuttle is a freelance reporter for The Voice.
