Beecher Amends Zoning Ordinance to Add Regulations for Solar and Wind Energy

Article Summary: The Beecher Village Board has approved text amendments to its zoning ordinance to formally incorporate regulations for solar and wind energy systems, which had previously been omitted. The changes, recommended unanimously by the Planning and Zoning Commission, also update rules for miscellaneous uses and clarify definitions to modernize the village code.

Zoning Ordinance Amendments Key Points:

• The board authorized its attorney to draft a new ordinance officially adopting text amendments to Sections 6 (Zoning Districts), 13 (Miscellaneous Uses), and 14 (Definitions).

• The primary change adds comprehensive regulations for solar and wind energy systems that were previously left out of the main ordinance.

• Amendments include detailed requirements for roof-mounted, ground-mounted, and utility-scale solar systems, as well as various types of wind energy devices.

• Minor “cleanup” corrections were also made to the zoning district use tables to ensure accuracy.

BEECHER – The Village of Beecher is updating its zoning laws to formally regulate renewable energy systems and clean up its code. The Village Board on June 23 unanimously approved a motion authorizing the village attorney to draft an ordinance that will adopt key text amendments related to solar and wind power.

The changes were recommended for approval by the village’s Planning and Zoning Commission and primarily impact sections governing zoning districts, miscellaneous uses, and definitions.

According to Village Administrator Charity Mitchell, the most significant update involves integrating rules for solar and wind energy systems that had been separate and were never formally included in the primary zoning ordinance.

“The majority of it was just the solar and wind energy were left out in the process. So, we added those in,” Mitchell explained to the board. “The more text portion, the solar and wind were separate and they never made their way into the zoning ordinance.”

The approved amendments establish detailed requirements for various types of renewable energy installations. For solar energy systems, the new rules differentiate between roof-mounted, ground-mounted, and large-scale utility systems. Regulations for roof-mounted systems dictate that they cannot extend beyond the building’s perimeter or above the highest point of the roofline. Ground-mounted systems are restricted to specific zoning districts as a special use and are not permitted in front yards.

Similarly, the ordinance now includes specific rules for electric-generating wind devices. It sets standards for different types, including smaller “Windspires,” rooftop-mounted devices, and larger “Small Wind Energy Systems,” with height and setback requirements based on lot size. Large-scale “Wind Farm Facilities” are only permitted as a special use in the A-1 agricultural zoning district and are subject to extensive application requirements, including an avian habitat study.

Trustee Roger Stacey, who chairs the Planning, Building and Zoning Committee, made the motion to move forward with drafting the final ordinance. The board approved it without opposition. The finalized ordinance will be presented for a final vote at a future meeting.