Environmentally Sensitive Areas

Solar Energy

Environmentally Sensitive Areas

The county’s environmental and resource protection code aims to protect sensitive habitats from disturbances or degradation. The county requires a biotic assessment or report prepared by a biologist, which is reviewed by the Environmental Coordinator (§16.32.070 et seq.). It provides sensitive habitat standards, project density limitations, exceptions, and exemptions (§16.32.090).

solar energy

The county code building regulations title includes a chapter on solar access protection that sets protections for solar energy systems from being shaded by structures or vegetation and requires solar access protection review when construction on parcels adjacent to solar energy systems is proposed (§12.28 et seq.). Owners must register their systems and demonstrate that the system was not shaded at the time of installation or within the following year; systems must be designed to have the least possible impacts on neighboring properties (§§12.28.040 & 12.28.050).

The county's subdivision regulations include a section on solar design considerations requiring subdivisions to be designed for maximum passive or natural heating or cooling opportunities, including lot size and configuration to allow for solar orientation of buildings; solar access easements may be required (§14.01.407.2). As part of the vesting tentative map application, a shadow plan showing shadow patterns of vegetation and structures on the proposed site and the locations of any existing solar energy systems is required (§14.01.610.B.4).

The zoning code's development standards for residential districts include a section providing exceptions to site and structural dimension standards for structures designed for solar access, allowing reductions in yards where necessary to accommodate a solar energy system (§13.10.323.E.2). Ground-mounted solar systems and other accessory structures are exempted from side and rear yard setbacks requirements and structure separation requirements and are not included in lot coverage calculations (§13.10.323.E.6). Flat-plate solar collectors on existing structures are exempt from lot coverage and setback provisions and are allowed to exceed district height limits by 4 feet (§§13.10.510.C & D). Permit requirements for permanent installation of manufactured homes require them to be oriented for maximum solar access (§13.10.682.C.5.d). The definitions section of the code includes a number of solar-related terms, including "affected property," "benefiting property," "registered solar energy system," "solar access," and "solar energy system" (§13.10.700).

The county code's section on site, architectural, and landscape design review lists site design objectives including solar design and access, requiring building design that protects solar access to both the site and to adjacent properties (§13.11.072.G.1). The section also lists building design objectives which include solar design provisions requiring solar access protection to adjacent properties and solar orientation of buildings (§13.11.073.G.2).