The Village of Pleasant Prairie acknowledges the growing popularity of solar energy systems that generate electricity for homes and businesses, either through rooftop or ground-mounted panels. On February 8, 2021, the Plan Commission adopted Resolution #21-03 to initiate researching and bringing forth an ordinance related to solar energy systems. Village staff has worked to ensure provisions are accurately reflected in the Village's zoning ordinance to allow solar energy systems and farms.
On Monday, May 3, the Pleasant Prairie Village Board approved several Zoning Text Amendments presented by Village staff to create regulations and districts for Solar Energy Systems. The newly formed Ordinance #21-07 establishes rules for single users and Solar Farms. For individual users, the ordinance allows building-mounted solar panels that do not extend more than six inches from the building's original exterior. Personal ground-mounted systems on parcels less than 1-acre may have a 7-kilowatt solar collector, and larger properties are allowed up to a 15-kilowatt capacity system. The maximum height for an individual ground-mounted solar collector cannot exceed ten feet at full tilt.
The ordinance also establishes rules for Solar Farms, which require Conditional Use Permit approval for properties 10-acres or larger, with a minimum of 300-feet of public street frontage. The land must be zoned A-2 (General Agricultural, AGO, General Agricultural Overlay) or M-4 (Power Generating District). Solar Farms are quiet, and the only audible noise comes from cooling fans. Solar collectors on a farm will have a maximum height of 15 feet at full tilt, use anti-reflective coatings to absorb sunlight, and reflect little to no incoming sunlight. Battery Energy Storage Systems are a potential accessory to Solar Farm projects. The battery storage allows solar energy to be stored and released at different parts of the day to smooth the output of solar electricity on cloudy days and to help maintain the proper frequency of electricity on the grid. Homes can use battery storage for backup emergency power and run a house off stored solar energy.
Solar energy has evolved, creating clean energy that does not produce air pollutants or greenhouse gases. In recent years the cost of solar has declined tremendously, making solar projects an economical solution for personal and commercial use. The equipment in a solar farm includes solar collectors, racking, cables, inverters, transformers, and a power line or substation to deliver power to the electric transmission grid. Village solar farms will be zoned agricultural and require approval of a Conditional Use Permit and Electrical Permit.