Table of Contents

Age-Friendly Communities

The township’s zoning code establishes a Planned Commercial Development/Planned Senior Village Development District to promote the development of mixed-use, age-restricted housing (§100-1, Article XIA). It sets traffic, open space, utilities, lighting, and landscaping standards. It also sets requirements specific to planned senior village developments (§100-91.14).

Solar Energy

The township's zoning code provides regulations for minor solar energy systems (Sec. 100-20.1), defining them as accessory uses not to produce power for off-premises consumption. Zoning permits are required for roof-mounted systems, with ground-mounted systems also requiring site plan approval. Standards address roof placement and height for roof-mounted systems; security fencing, location, setbacks, screening, and height for ground-mounted systems; and aesthetic issues such as glare, color, and signage. Decommissioning and removal is required if panels are "abandoned" (not used for 12 months). The code limits solar installations on qualified commercial farms and preserved farms by acreage, capacity, or ratio to farmland acreage.

Major/commercial solar energy systems are a permitted principle use in the Limited Industrial Park district, subject to standards that address locational/site qualification regulations, bulk and buffering, installation and site development, performance standards, safety, and decommissioning (Sec. 100-21).

The code defines major/commercial solar energy facilities and minor solar energy systems (Sec. 100-6).