The purpose of this Article is to promote and regulate the use
of residential, commercial and municipal solar energy systems (SES)
within the Town of Medfield and encourage their location and use in
a manner which minimizes negative visual and environmental impacts
on scenic, natural and historic resources and to the residents of
Medfield. In the event of conflicting language, the provisions set
forth in this Article shall take precedence over all other sections
of the Medfield Zoning Bylaws when considering applications related
to the construction, operation and/or repair of solar energy systems.
The requirements of this Article shall apply to all solar energy
systems installed or modified in a manner that materially alters the
type, configuration, or size of these installations or related equipment
after the effective date of this Article, excluding general maintenance
and repair.
As used in this Article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
BY-RIGHT
Development may proceed without the need for a special permit, variance, amendment, waiver, or other discretionary approval; as-of-right development may be subject to site plan approval by the Planning Board pursuant to §
300-14.12 except as indicated in per table in §
300-19.5.
GROUND-MOUNTED SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAY
An SES that is directly structurally mounted on the ground,
including a large-scale ground-mounted solar photovoltaic array, a
medium-scale ground-mounted solar photovoltaic array, a small-scale
ground-mounted solar photovoltaic array and a solar parking canopy
solar photovoltaic array.
PARKING CANOPY SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAY
A roof application of a ground-mounted solar photovoltaic
array that is installed on top of a functional parking surface (striped,
in use) that maintains the function of the area beneath the canopy;
also known as "solar carports," which provide some protection or shelter
to vehicles or equipment parked or stored below.
RELATED EQUIPMENT OR FACILITIES
Any equipment, building, structure, access way, landscaping
or other means used to support the operation, or disguise the appearance,
of a solar photovoltaic tower, antenna, or transmitting or receiving
equipment of any kind.
ROOF-MOUNTED SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM
An SES that is structurally mounted to and confined to the
limits of the roof of a building or structure. This is intended to
serve as an accessory use to the primary use on the property and may
be used to provide electricity, hot water, or space heating and cooling.
SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM (SES)
A device whose primary purpose is the collection, storage,
and distribution of solar energy for space heating or cooling, electricity
generation, or water heating, which can be ground mounted or rooftop
mounted. Solar energy systems include photovoltaic panels, mounting
structures, transmission lines and any other equipment, or structure,
including access ways or landscaping, used to support solar photovoltaic
activities.
In order to allow new solar energy systems (SES) to be located
efficiently and in areas that will have the least visual and environmental
impact, there is hereby created the following Town-wide Solar Photovoltaic
Overlay District (PVOD) consisting of the following subdistricts:
A. Large-Scale Ground-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Overlay Subdistrict.
This district shall consist of the following land and parcels: All
land and parcels within the boundaries of the Industrial Extensive
(IE) Zoning District shown on the Zoning Map and as described in Article
3 elsewhere in this Bylaw.
B. Medium-Scale Ground-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Overlay Subdistrict.
This district shall consist of the following land and parcels: All
land and parcels within the boundaries of the Industrial Extensive
(IE), Business (B), Business Industrial (BI), and Agricultural (A)
Zoning Districts shown on the Zoning Map and as described in Article
3 elsewhere in this Bylaw.
C. Small-Scale Ground-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Overlay Subdistrict.
This district shall consist of the following land and parcels: All
land and parcels within the boundaries of the Industrial Extensive
(IE), Business (B), Business Industrial (BI), Agricultural (A), and
all Residential (RE, RT, RS, RU) Zoning Districts shown on the Zoning
Map and as described in Article 3 elsewhere in this Bylaw.
D. Solar Parking Canopy Solar Photovoltaic Overlay Subdistrict. This
district shall consist of the following land and parcels: All land
and parcels within the boundaries of the Industrial Extensive (IE),
Business (B), Business Industrial (BI), and Agricultural (A) Zoning
Districts shown on the Zoning Map and as described in Article 3 elsewhere
in this Bylaw.
E. Roof-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Overlay Subdistrict. This district
shall consist of the following land and parcels: All land and parcels
within the boundaries of the Industrial Extensive (IE), Business (B),
Business Industrial (BI), Agricultural (A), and all Residential (RE,
RT, RS, RU) Zoning Districts shown on the Zoning Map and as described
in Article 3 elsewhere in this Bylaw.
F. Municipal Solar Photovoltaic Overlay Subdistrict. This district shall
consist of the following land and parcels: All municipally owned land
and parcels, buildings and structures within the boundaries of the
Industrial Extensive (IE), Business (B), Business Industrial (BI),
Agricultural (A), and all Residential (RE, RT, RS, RU) Zoning Districts
shown on the Zoning Map and as described in Article 3 elsewhere in
this Bylaw.
The Solar Photovoltaic Facilities Overlay District (PVOD) shall
be considered as overlying other use districts established by this
Bylaw. Within the PVOD, the requirements of the underlying district
continue to apply, such as all uses permissible and as regulated within
the underlying district, including uses requiring site plan approval,
and all uses permitted by special permit in the underlying district
at that location may be allowed upon the issuance of a special permit
by the designated special permit granting authority under such conditions
as the Board may require, except as may be specifically superseded
herein and in the table below.
Table 19.5
|
---|
Subdistrict Name
|
Allowable Districts
|
Permitting Process
|
Dimensional Requirements
|
---|
Large-scale ground-mounted
|
IE
|
By-right with SPA
|
As Noted
|
Medium-scale ground-mounted
|
IE, B, BI, A
|
By-right with SPA
|
As Noted
|
Small-scale ground-mounted
|
IE, B, BI, RE, RT, RS, RU, A
|
By-right
|
Underlying Zoning District
|
Solar parking canopy
|
IE, A
|
By-right with SPA
|
As Noted
|
B, BI
|
PB-SP
|
Roof-mounted (all sizes)
|
IE, B, BI, RE, RT, RS, RU, A
|
By-right
|
As Noted
|
Municipal (all sizes of ground-mounted, parking canopy, and
roof-mounted)
|
IE, B, BI, RE, RT, RS, RU, A
|
By-right with SPA
|
As Noted
|
A. Roof-mounted solar energy systems of any size shall be permitted
as a by-right accessory use in all use districts. The installation
of roof-mounted solar energy systems shall not be considered a change,
extension or alteration that requires a finding by the Zoning Board
of Appeals per M.G.L. c. 40A, § 6 if the roof-mounted solar
energy systems meet the following requirements:
(1)
Comply with the regulations provided in this section; and
(2)
Are located on properties with nonconforming uses or structures;
and
(3)
Do not increase the nonconformity of such nonconforming uses
or structures except with respect to the dimensions of the roof-mounted
solar energy system in question.
B. Municipal solar energy systems: Notwithstanding the solar energy
use provisions above, solar energy systems, whether ground-mounted,
parking canopy, or roof-mounted of any scale, may be installed as
of right on municipally owned or leased property in all zoning districts.
Ground-mounted solar energy systems or municipally owned or leased
land require site plan review. The same dimensional, design and general
requirements that apply to privately installed and operated solar
energy systems shall apply to solar energy systems installed on municipally
owned property.
C. Where solar energy systems would be installed in an Historic District,
the system shall require approval by the Historic District Commission.
The establishment of a large-scale ground-mounted solar photovoltaic array, medium-scale ground-mounted solar photovoltaic array, and parking canopy solar photovoltaic array shall be allowed by right in the Industrial-Extensive Zone and subject to site plan approval in accordance with §
300-14.12 and a building permit, provided that the following minimum requirements are met. Parking canopy solar photovoltaic arrays shall be allowed by special permit in Business and Business Industrial Zones and are subject to site plan approval and the following requirements.
A. Site control. The project proponent shall submit documentation of
actual access and control of the project site sufficient to allow
for construction and operation of the proposed solar photovoltaic
installation.
B. Operation and maintenance plan. The project proponent shall submit
a plan for the operation and maintenance of the large-scale ground-mounted,
medium-scale ground-mounted SES or solar parking canopy, which shall
include measures for maintaining safe access to the installation,
stormwater controls, as well as general procedures for operational
maintenance of the installation.
C. Utility notification. No ground-mounted solar photovoltaic array
shall be constructed until written confirmation has been given to
the Planning Board that the utility company that operates the electrical
grid where the installation is to be located has been informed of
the solar photovoltaic installation owner's or operator's
intent to install an interconnected customer-owned generator and its
acceptance of the owner's or operator's request to connect
to the grid. Off-grid systems shall be exempt from this requirement.
All appurtenant structures to ground-mounted solar photovoltaic
arrays, including, but not limited to, equipment shelters, storage
facilities, batteries or other electric storage, transformers and
substations, should be screened from view from abutting properties
and public ways by vegetation and/or joined or clustered, as determined
by the Planning Board, to avoid adverse visual impacts on abutting
properties or public ways.
Engineer-stamped as-built plans shall be submitted to the Building
Commissioner before a certificate of completion or occupancy may be
issued.
The Building Commissioner and Planning Board shall be notified
at least 30 days in advance of any proposed change in the owner or
operator of a large and medium ground-mounted and parking canopy solar
photovoltaic installation, which notice shall include the contact
information of the proposed new owner/operator. A change in ownership
shall require advance approval by the Planning Board. Such approval
shall not be unreasonably withheld and shall be based principally
on the experience and financial strength of the proposed new owner.
The owner or operator of the installation shall submit an annual
report to the Building Commissioner and the Planning Board which certifies
compliance with the requirements of this Bylaw and their approved
site plan, including control of vegetation, stormwater, noise standards,
emergency response and adequacy of road access, by January 15 of each
year.
If any provision herein is determined to be unlawful, it shall
be severed from this Article and all remaining provisions shall remain
in force and effect.