New county zoning proposed to promote renewable energy

Sonoma County planners hope to hammer out a new county energy policy this year promoting renewable energy systems that harness solar, wind and other power sources to produce clean electricity.
Renewable energy systems such as rooftop solar panels for on-site residential power are already allowed just about anywhere in the county with a building permit. The new policy would clear the way for commercial renewable energy systems almost anywhere including agricultural land if the systems meet criteria such as compatibility with their surroundings.
Planners say there’s no need to worry about fields of windmills blanketing the Sonoma Coast, but there are concerns about opening the door for commercial wind, solar and biomass energy systems on rural land zoned for agriculture, recreation and open space.
“I expect there will have to be a lot more public input” before the ordinance is adopted, said former 5th District County Supervisor Eric Koenigshofer, one of the participants in the ongoing public hearings.
Concern about rural commercial energy installations “is not necessarily opposition,” said Koenigshofer.
One of the concerns “is allowing very substantial installations for solar that might be ten or twenty acres in size,” said Koenigshofer, who said he supports alternative energy efforts but thinks the new policies need more clarity.
People are concerned about “the idea of a 20-acre array of solar panels in an agricultural area where visual impacts of that kind would not be welcome,” said Koenigshofer.
The renewable energy concept has drawn broad community support but, “It’s entirely possible to get ahead of ourselves on something like this,” said Koenigshofer. “Our landscape is a rural agricultural landscape, it’s not a commercial energy landscape.”
The Planning Commission’s  public hearing on the new policies continues on Feb. 7 at 1 p.m. when Commissioners will again look at amending  county zoning code and General Plan policies to:
•allow renewable energy projects including solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, and hybrid systems at compatible scale in various zoning districts;
•create a new RE (Renewable Energy) combining zone;
•provide density bonuses for accessory renewable systems in affordable housing projects; and
•reduce on-site parking requirements to incentivize alternative modes of transportation.
The proposed zoning changes would apply county-wide, outside of the coastal zone, and affect allowable land uses in all zoning districts, said Jane Riley of the county Permit and Resource Management Department.
Accessory renewable energy systems that provide energy primarily for on-site use would be a permitted use, while commercial renewable energy facilities designed to provide power for off-site use would require a use permit, subject to further environmental review and noticed public hearings, said Riley.
Siting criteria, general development and special use standards would apply to both accessory systems and commercial facilities to address potential environmental impacts and ensure neighborhood compatibility, said Riley.
Related General Plan amendments are proposed to clarify the distinction between accessory systems and commercial facilities, and allow limited commercial facilities on agricultural and resource lands and on public/quasi public lands, according to the proposed changes.