Laserfiche WebLink
1 <br /> Model Zoning for the Regulation of Solar Energy Systemsl <br /> Department of Energy Resources <br /> Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs <br /> December 2014 <br /> Thzs model coning and accompanying Guzdance wer eprepared to asszst ltlassachusettsYctttes <br /> [and towns in,establising�easonable sta�xdards to fact7atate development of solar energy <br /> systems These systenis�netudesmall,_medzum and large rcttle aswell as botlgrouril <br /> irtottnted rand roof-rtrozznted`aizstallzxttons x T'he model zonitrg language provzdedltere is itot Y- <br /> intended for adoptzon precisely as it zs written Comntunitteswzlrteed to carefully consider hoiu <br /> thrs lMw <br /> anguage7nay be tnod f ed to surt locahoondthons anil w q-, zt s7tou d be znser�rd znto an <br /> fexisttng onzragBylaiv/D1dinance Further;�t�sghly t eeommendedlhittanyanguag�adapted <br /> fromthzs ntotlel y muritctpaZ counsel or tci cdoptton <br /> As small,medium ,wand Zarg_e_se Ze grortnd_nourited anoauntedola� energy systems <br /> become moreprevalent zti Massaekusetts.many communitces areyattenzpting to regizlate the <br /> installation of these systems throz�gh thezr,Zonzng$ylaw/Or dirtarce Developing these= <br /> �regulattons hits been parttczlarly challenging for a number of reasons 1Vfost notably, the <br /> Massachusetts Genei alLaws contctzns sever al proviszons that speccally add-ess the abzZity of <br /> local governments to regitZate solar__energy systems and/o> to project solar access fr om <br /> development or vegetatzon(shadtn on adjacent properties SYlile the language within Chapter <br /> 40�Section 3_states thata local government may not prohibzt these uses it does say they cannot, <br /> be "unreasonably r egulated"without providing guzd�nce on what that particular phrase means <br /> The$olar Energy�5ytems PolittcZanee,whzch aoc nds <br /> succeeding setzons of thisocumen�rovicZe moi e explanatzo�2�egcrrdirt t7ic ainplacations of the <br /> statutes on than issue and zts signcance to=localonzng I <br /> kII <br /> _ - <br /> Ilnlzlze-model bylaws/ordinances tyzcally developed by the Com�rtonwealth the-regulatory <br /> langucigepraidedgnnotpackageclasa `staid alone' tzaocxZ�ntng- <br /> �ByZayvlOrdzn Wi oaergyysemxs the statzztory ; <br /> (nanieorkand ` ocspry":nature ofsame of these�r talZatcp �Zend�trnseyo axleren <br /> tapproach Zhzs modeZ�onirig thet efore assumes fhat murczpaes wiZZ have tnczny "typzcal'° <br /> rsecttons within their ZontngBylawlDrdinance and thatseyeral of_theseections_wouldTi <br /> amended to address hits issue For ti�purposesthts model aontng, e BylallDrdaiance <br /> (secttoras that k�e amended include - _ � _ <br /> 1 This material is based upon work supported by the U.S.Department of Energy under Award Number DE- <br /> EE0005692.This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States <br /> Government.Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof,nor any of their employees,makes any <br /> warranty,express or implied,or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy,completeness,or <br /> usefulness of any information,apparatus,product,or process disclosed,or represents that its use would not infringe. <br /> privately owned rights.Reference herein to any specific commercial product,process,or service by trade name, <br /> trademark,manufacturer,or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement,recommendation,or <br /> favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof.The views and opinions of authors expressed <br /> herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency hereof. <br /> 2 This material was prepared by the Horsley Witten Group. <br /> ' - 1 - <br />