is 530 we will go ahead and start the meeting we have five present and three absent so we do have a quorum since we have our chair and vice chair gone if you guys don't mind I'll just go ahead and run through so the first item on the agenda is to prove the minutes of April 22nd 2025 meeting is there a motion second Okay, all in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Update on past Planning and Zoning Commission items. Last meeting we had a number of items. We had a special use request to allow concrete crushing and processing at 538 Louisville Road that was approved. They are in operation. We had a zoning amendment at 3176 Dover Lane from R3A multifamily to R1A single family. This commission did recommend approval and that zoning amendment was approved by City Council at their May 19th meeting. And we had a minor plat of the Knight subdivision, which is at the southeast corner of Locust Street and Congress Street. Planning and zoning recommended approval and the council did approve that subdivision plat at their May 5th, 2025 meeting. And we had a zoning amendment from R3A Multifamily and I Institutional to B3 Central Business at 167 North Kellogg Street, which also included the adjacent parking lot. Planning and zoning did recommend approval, and the zoning amendment was approved by City Council at their May 19th meeting. Sorry, I'm finding errors in my typing as I read this. And the last item was a zoning amendment from B1 Neighborhood Business to B2 General Business at 1120 North Henderson Street. Planning and zoning did recommend approval and the zoning amendment was approved by council at their May 19th meeting. Any questions on the updates? Okay. The next section of the meeting would be to receive citizen comments. Seeing none, we will move on to the first item on the agenda, which is PZ-25-0601, which is a public hearing for an ordinance regarding solar energy systems. For your consideration are amendments and new sections to the text of Chapter 152 of the Galesburg Development Ordinance relating to the regulation and development of solar ENERGY. THE SORDINANCE WILL ESTABLISH COMPREHENSIVE REGULATIONS FOR SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS INCLUDING NEW DEFINITIONS, ACCESSORY USE PROVISIONS, SPECIAL USE PERMIT REQUIREMENTS, DESIGN STANDARDS, AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA, WHICH WE HAVE NOT HAD BEFORE. THESE CHANGES SUPPORT RESPONSIBLE SOLAR DEVELOPMENT AND WOULD ALIGN WITH LOCAL REGULATIONS AND STATE AND NATIONWIDE RENEWABLE ENERGY TRENDS. SOME OF THE PROPOSED ITEMS YOU'LL SEE IN THE ORDINANCE ARE THAT WE INCLUDED 11 NEW DEFINITIONS RELATED TO SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS TO ESTABLISH SOME CLARITY, WHICH WOULD BE A SOLAR CARPORT, A SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM, QUALIFIED SOLAR INSTALLER, SOLAR MOUNTING DEVICES, THINGS LIKE THAT. We added a new section, which is 152.123, solar energy systems, and that is where it will provide the regulatory framework, basically, for the solar energy systems. The purpose and applicability would be to establish goals of promoting solar development while protecting public safety and neighborhood compatibility. This applies to new systems constructed after the ordinance effective date and significant modifications to existing systems would also be subject to new standards. Allowed installations would include private solar energy systems and solar carports, which are typically what you see on residential properties, roof mounted. Some people put them ground mounted in the rear yard, but typically what we've seen is more roof mounted. Those would be permitted as accessory uses in all zoning districts for residential type uses like that. There's also a section on commercial and community solar energy systems, which are the larger projects that you see. Those would require a special use approval through the Planning and Zoning Commission. Those would be special uses in the agriculture district, the institutional, OFFICE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS, GENERAL BUSINESS, CENTRAL BUSINESS, AND BOTH OF OUR HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS, AS WELL AS THE COMPRESSIVE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS. GOOD QUESTION. YEP. SO RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS WOULD NOT COME BEFORE US? CORRECT. AGGRAVOLTAIC SYSTEMS ALLOWED ONLY IN DISTRICTS WHERE AGRICULTURE IS PERMITTED, WHICH WOULD BE THE AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT, OBVIOUSLY. We do allow agriculture in the estate residential. There is not much estate residential. It's a large lot, single family zoning designation. And also in the R1A single family, there could be situations where a property may be legal nonconforming or another way of saying that would be grandfathered. We do have situations where properties have been farmed for a long time and they may be zoned something else, but they're allowed to continue that use until such time they stop for a period of 180 days. If that happens, then it would revert back to whatever the zoning is in that district. Design and operational requirements. Some of them would include permit requirements and regulatory compliance. We would now have glare and visibility controls, require concealed wiring and roof integrity evaluations. There would be maintenance obligations, including removal of non-functioning systems. WE HAVE SOME STANDARDS FOR THE PRIVATE SYSTEMS, THE SMALLER SYSTEMS. SO THERE WOULD BE HEIGHT LIMITS WHETHER ON ROOF OR GROUND. THERE WOULD BE SETBACK SIZE LIMITS. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO PUT IT ON THE GROUND IN THE BACKYARD, THERE WOULD BE 100 SQUARE FOOT LIMITATION ON THE SIZE. BUT A PERSON COULD ASK FOR A VARIANCE. IF THEY ASK FOR A VARIANCE, IT WOULD COME BEFORE THIS BOARD. NOT TOO UNSIMILAR TO LIKE A GARAGE. WE LIMIT THE SIZE OF GARAGES AND BACKYARDS TOO. If they're going to do a ground-mounted solar system in their property, it does have to be in the rear yard for ground-mounted systems. Some of the standards for the larger commercial community systems, we would start requiring a site plan review required addressing drainage, electrical connections, spacing, equipment layout, manufacturer specifications would need to be provided, utility interconnection documentation would have to be provided, Fire protection plans may be required. Landscaping plans, maintenance obligations would have to be shown. These are all things we don't currently require. Application must also include a decommissioning plan for the anticipated service life or if it becomes non-operational for a period of 12 months. We would also require a cost estimate from a professional engineer or contractor with expertise in decommissioning. A surety bond, letter of credit, or cash bond would have to be provided. We would also require liability insurance of at least one million per occurrence and five million in the aggregate to be maintained and name the city as additional insured with 30 days notice prior to any changes. The Development Review Committee did review this ordinance at their June 4th meeting. They do recommend approval. Your recommendation would go to City Council on first reading July 7th, and then on final reading on July 21st. Questions? So right now we don't have any type of regulations like this. So if someone wanted to do like a larger community solar system, we have been asking them to submit a site plan, but that's really just kind of layout looking at setbacks. We haven't asked for decommissioning plans, proof of insurance, proof of interconnection. The only permits we currently issue would be an electrical permit. And if they put a fence around it, then they have to get a fence permit. There's no requirements right now really for landscaping, things like that. So we're pretty limited in what we ask right now. Yes. Yes. Regarding private people that want to have it, does that cover condominiums that may be interested in that? So that would be private. Correct. Yes. So, I mean, we... We have been allowing solar on roofs now, obviously. I mean, you probably see them when you go around town, and some people have them in their backyard. We have been allowing that just with the electrical and fence permit, if applicable. This would just give us the ability to kind of look at it a little more in depth and just make sure that they're not filling up their entire backyard, which could be. Yeah. Yeah. I just want to make a couple comments. As we discussed, Steve, this ordinance was not developed from scratch. There was another ordinance from another city that was in place that was used for a guide, so it's not off the cuff. It's been proven with a few changes. Yeah, that's a very, very good point. Thanks for making that. We did try to look for some other comparable communities. We did find some. We looked for some guidance through like IML and American Planning Association. So you're correct. We didn't just kind of come up with this locally just here upstairs. We did try and reference viable ordinances that have been in effect for a while. concern me a little, which you may get some resistance on, is the requirement for an Illinois licensed structural engineer to be hired and give a report on solar panels to be put on your roof. I don't know if any of the other members have any opinion on that. You mean, not for private, right? Yeah. You'd have to do that for the private? I didn't see that. I didn't hear that. Well, no, it depends on the situation. So, I mean, if you're going to fill up an entire roof with solar panels, we want to know what that weight is because obviously that's added weight that wasn't factored in when the house was built. So it's more of a protection for the homeowner to make sure the contractor isn't putting something up there that's going to cause them to have significant issues later on. But that will be a requirement to get a permit to put them on the roof? To hire a structural engineer? Well, we would need some type of proof that the roof was designed to hold the weight of the extra panels. Some of these panels aren't that heavy. Some people only put up a few panels, but there are situations where they might be sold on covering an entire roof. which would be a lot of weight added. Okay. So the city doesn't come out and do that. They would have to privately get someone. Does the city have recommendations of some people that they can go to? Sure. So they could use anyone that's licensed in Illinois. Typically, if you're going through a solar company, they're going to have – those types of people on staff because they're designing the system, right? So that company would typically have someone that could provide the information to us without having to go out and hire someone completely separate usually. Okay. The other thing that caught my eye is the ground-mounted systems may not exceed 15 feet. That's pretty high. Is that a precedent from other cities? It's fairly common what we've seen in other areas. Because if you go much lower, you're going to be blocked by bushes, fences, pools, garages. So, you know, detached garages, we limit to the height of 16 feet. But you can get a variance to that. So if there's a reason why you can't mount it on the roof, it has to go in the backyard and you need it higher than 15 feet so that it's effective, then you can ask for a variance and explain that. Okay. Does this ordinance become retroactive for existing permitted applications? No, it does not. We can't do that legally. That would be wrong. That would be a pretty bad precedent to any developer, not only solar, but commercial anything, if we were to change the rules mid-game. If there's no further questions from the group, I move that we accept PZ250601. I second. Or am I supposed to first? No, I second it. ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PZ-25-0602, PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN ORDINANCE REGARDING WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS. SO FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, OUR AMENDMENTS AND NEW ORDINANCE SECTIONS TO THE TEXT OF CHAPTER 152 OF THE GALESBURG DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE REGULATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. The amendment includes some new definitions, revised use permissions across zoning districts and a complete rewrite of 152.117 to regulate both small and large wind energy systems. Similar to the previous ordinance we just reviewed, there are new definitions we're adding into the ordinance related to the wind energy systems. We have revised sections to now regulate the wind energy systems and provide regulatory framework for those to establish a framework to ensure safe, effective, well-sighted wind energy systems while minimizing adverse impacts. Allowed installations would include under the small wind energy systems, which would be kind of the ones you see in residential areas sometimes, would be permitted as accessory uses in all zoning districts with specific limits on height, capacity, setbacks, non-reflective noise and vibration, The large wind energy systems will require special use approval through planning and zoning, of course, and would be special use in the agriculture, institutional, light industrial, heavy industrial, and comprehensive plan development. Some of the standards for the smaller wind energy systems would be that they would require a construction permit, scaled site plan, product-specific technical information, evidence the local utility has been informed, Narrative describing the maintenance and testing for noise and vibration must be non-reflective in a non-obtrusive color. Appearance must be maintained through the life of the unit. The lowest extension blade must be at least 15 feet above grade. Guy wires are similar. Apparatus are prohibited. Roof mounted in residential should not exceed the lesser of 10 feet above adjacent roof or permitted height in the zoning district that it's located in. If it's tower mounted, it shall not exceed 120 feet in manufacturing district or 60 feet in any other zoning district. Setbacks, roof mounted must be at least 15 feet from a property line. Tower mounted must be set back 1.1 times the system height from the base to all property lines and other tower mounted wind energy systems. Any systems connected to a public utility must be inspected and approved by that utility. If a small wind energy system is out of service for a period of 12 months, it is deemed non-operational and the city may abate that as a nuisance in any manner as provided by law. Some standards for the larger wind energy systems. We would require narrative overview of the project. The systems must meet ANSI and UL design safety certifications. All systems must comply with local, state, federal regulations, including FAA requirements. Again, no guy wires permitted. Turbines must be a non-obtrusive color with minimum signage. Maximum of one turbine per 75 acres. Setbacks from occupied buildings, a minimum of 1.5 times the turbine height and five times the hub height from non-participating properties. Would require an affidavit between the property owner and the facility owner or operator demonstrating that the facility owner or operator has the permission of the property owner to apply for necessary permits FOR CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF THE WIND ENERGY SYSTEM. SITE PLAN REVIEW REQUIRED ADDRESSING SETBACKS, EQUIPMENT LAYOUT, BUILDING STRUCTURES, TRANSMISSION LINES. APPLICATION MUST INCLUDE A DECOMMISSIONING PLAN FOR THE ANTICIPATED SERVICE LIFE OR IF IT BECOMES NON-OPERATIONAL FOR A PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS WITH A COST ESTIMATE FROM A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER OR CONTRACTOR WITH EXPERTISE IN DECOMMISSIONING. AND AGAIN, A SURETY BOND OR LETTER OF CREDIT OR CASH BOND MUST BE PROVIDED. We will also require liability insurance of at least a million per occurrence, five million in aggregate to be maintained and name the city as additional insured with 30 days notice prior to any change. The Development Review Committee did review this at their last meeting and recommend approval. Your recommendation tonight would go to City Council on first reading July 7th and final reading on July 21st. I will say I don't see many of these being proposed. The reason we're doing it is because we're doing one for solar. You never know. You might as well do one for wind. Correct. Who wants a wind turbine on their property? You never know. I'm not sure specifically on Henry County. But this was similar to some of the other ordinances that we looked at. I can't put my finger on it, but it distinguishes small from large windmills. It mentions that the owner has to provide has to be bonded and insured and provide a liability policy. One million per occurrence, five million in the aggregate. Is that for residential also? That's for the large ones. Just for the large? Yeah. There's a lot that's concerned with this because sound and there's a lot that gets involved with this. Shadows and... At this point, we don't have much actual farmland inside of the city limits any longer, do we? That could have large ones? I think we do. No, not really. I mean, there is some farmland within the city. But, I mean, a lot of that's actually technically still county. It just happens to be maybe surrounded by a city, and it looks like it's in the city. And the county has their own separate regulations. Well, if someone was going to put one in their front yard, wouldn't they need their neighbor's approval? Yeah, so some of this would actually consider that. Well, it has to be so many feet away anyway, so that would be the situation. If you have a neighbor, it's got to be pretty far away from it. What did you say? Yeah. And then there's sound issues, and then there's also going to be shadow issues. I mean, and it could be very scary. I know the first time I saw one, I thought they were aliens that came down. But they were far away until I actually saw, and that was years and years ago. But it's a spooky kind of thing, you know, at first. I think the ones that, you know, we'd see in the city aren't. what we're used to seeing, obviously. They're not the great big ones. They're a much, much smaller overall diameter of fan. So the ones I've seen aren't quite as obtrusive looking. Yeah. Okay. Well, I'll make a motion to approve it, unless there's more discussion. I'll second. Okay. Now we can have more discussion. OK. . I approve. . Approve. . Yes. . Yes. . Yes. There are no more . I move to adjourn the meeting. Yeah. And let's go back in the heat. Thank you all.