Arapahoe County - File #: 22-585

• File #: 22-585
• Version: 1
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Passed
• File created: 10/6/2022
• In control: Board of County Commissioners Business Meeting
• On agenda: 10/25/2022
• Final action: 10/25/2022
• Title: Amendment of the Land Development Code to include a New Administrative Application Process and New Requirements for Small Solar Systems, Case LDC22-001

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
10/25/2022	1	Board of County Commissioners Business Meeting	adopted	Pass

To: Board of County Commissioners

Through: Bryan Weimer, Director, Public Works & Development Department

Prepared By:
prepared
Diane Kocis, Energy Specialist, Public Works & Development
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presenter
Presenter: Diane Kocis, Energy Specialist, Public Works & Development
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Subject:
title
Amendment of the Land Development Code to include a New Administrative Application Process and New Requirements for Small Solar Systems, Case LDC22-001
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The purpose of this hearing is to seek BOCC approval of the draft Small Solar System regulations, as an amendment to the existing administrative solar rules in the Land Development Code.
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Background and Discussion: This is a county-initiated Land Development Code (LDC) amendment to update the administrative process and requirements for small solar systems, also known as community solar gardens. The new regulations will replace the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) provisions for administrative approval with new regulations and the administrative process set forth therein and will also bring the County's rules into alignment with the State's rules.

CRS 40-2-127(1)(b) recognizes that "[i]t is in the public interest that broader participation in solar electric generation by Colorado residents and commercial entities be encouraged by the development and deployment of distributed solar electric generating facilities, known as community solar gardens..." In 2019, the state amended this section by the adoption of HB19-1003, the Colorado Community Solar Gardens Modernization Act. The Act increased the maximum size of a community solar garden from 2 megawatts (MW) to 5 (MW) and requires all photovoltaic electrical work on a facility greater than 2 MW to be supervised by a licensed master electrician, licensed journeyman electrician or a licensed residential wireman, in order to comply with all applicable electrical codes and standards. The act also provi...