Environmentally Sensitive Areas

Solar Energy

Environmentally Sensitive Areas

The city’s zoning code includes overlay districts to protect shorelines, wetlands, and the Mississippi River corridor. It contains development standards for shoreline areas(§11-7-2), information regarding a protected waters permit for development in wetlands(§11-7-3), and establishes a Mississippi River corridor critical area overlay district(§11-7-4).

Solar Energy

The city's zoning code permits rooftop accessory solar energy systems in all districts by right; freestanding accessory solar energy systems by right in residential, rural, public, and industrial districts; and solar gardens and farms as interim uses in rural, public, and industrial districts outside of the urban service area (Section 11-2-12.C.2).

Passive solar design and building-integrated systems are exempt from use-specific standards and treated like any other building element (Section 11-2-12.C.1).

Use-specific standards address setbacks, height, screening, coverage, placement of power lines, aesthetics, and abandonment (Section 11-2-12.C.4--16).