Solving a Solar Land Use Issue

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

Solving a Solar Land Use Issue

Bruce Plenk, City of Tucson Solar Energy Coordinator

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

2011 Tucson Solar Summary• Tucson’s first 10 Years of Solar- 1999-2009- mostly small projects• 5% solar in new city buildings; solar ready ordinance.• 2009 Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) projects- 1 MW. • 2011 CREBs/CDP projects: 2MW+• CAVSARP PPA-1MW• City leases for FRV and NRG Solar Farms-50 MW total

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

Older solar projects on city buildings

Fire Station #22 –LEED Gold

Pennington Street Garage Shaded Parking - 64 kW

Solar lights at dog park

Adaptive Recreation Center - Adaptive Recreation Center - Solar pool heatingSolar pool heating

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

2009 CREBs Project Sites

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

2009 CREBS Project Details

• 7 sites (4 roof and 3 ground) - 23 kW to 475 kW; total 1 MW (200 home systems)

• 4614 traditional photovoltaic (PV) panels plus 260 Solyndra panels• Single axis trackers for ground mounted systems• Matched system size with roof space & electrical load

El Pueblo

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

Roger Road Reclaimed Water Reservoir110 kW

El Pueblo 97 kW ballasted system

2009 CREBS Projects

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

Solyndra panel close-up- a new kind of solar panel & in the news!!

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

2011 CREBs/CDP plans

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

So far so good, but…

• All of the early solar projects and the CREBs projects were accessory uses to existing buildings, so no zoning issues

• Zoning official had ruled that commercial solar facilities were generating plants

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

The Problem-Good land, bad zoning

• Large plots of unused city land

• Closed City landfillsZoning of closed landfills: R-1, R-2, SR, RX-1

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

Why it mattered

• TEP 2009 RFP for wholesale power looking for sites for large solar farms near distribution lines and close to customers

• Solar developers looking for land close to transmission lines too

• City of Tucson Land Use Code only allowed a generating system for the production of energy in Industrial Zones

• Closed landfills in various other zones, thus not available for solar!!

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

2010 Land Use Code changes

• New definition of Renewable Energy Generation (LUC 6.3.12.3) which includes solar, wind, landfill gas, etc

• Established process for application for solar farms in most zones, with increasing levels of notice and hearing as move from Industrial to Commercial to Residential

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

2010 Land Use Code changes

• Basic premise: more public involvement in zones with more potential conflict

• Industrial zones: Permitted use subject to performance criteria

• Commercial zones: Limited Notice Procedure (staff review + opportunity for hearing upon request)

• Residential zones: Full notice and hearing

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

First case under new code-Plaza del Sol PV Project

• Ordinance adopted June, 2010

• Special Exception Use Zoning sought per revised City Ordinances

• Zoning Examiner hearing Dec 9, 2010

• Zoning Examiner decision Dec 16, 2010 recommending approval

• Construction started late Dec 2010

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

A large mobile home community with master meter and unused land

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

Plaza del Sol PV project

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

Plaza Del Sol PV Project

• Project details: 630 kW; single axis trackers

• Meets 20% of mobile home community’s electrical load

• On-line May 2011• Financed with help of

TEP REC purchase and §1603 grant

• Next??

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

Contact Information

• Bruce Plenk, Solar Energy Coordinator– (520) 837-6322, bruce.plenk@tucsonaz.gov

Soaring Heights Project at Davis-Monthan AFB

AZ APA Conference September 29, 2011

Questions &Comments ?