Solar, wind energy regulations on tap | Local News

DANVILLE – A new petition will be before the Danville Area Planning and Zoning Commission this week after some additional proposed changes have been made to the Danville Zoning Ordinance pertaining to solar and wind energy regulations.

The city has requested solar and wind energy systems be added to district use regulations in the zoning ordinance.

After additional resident and commission discussion after the city council sent the zoning petition back for further discussion, there were “only a couple small parts that changed,” said Danville Planning and and Urban Services Manager Chris Milliken.

For the section on solar energy, there are more clarifications on setbacks from any residential district. There must be a buffer or separation of 100 feet, Milliken said, which can include a type of screening such as landscape or fences.

A section also was added to address the quality of the solar panels, and meeting state and federal requirements in recycling or disposing of them if abandoned and no longer used.

Regarding wind energy systems, there is clarification to the height and how they’re measured, Milliken said. Language was added to refine the definition of small systems to ensure size is capped and setback distance from residences also is outlined.

At a recent city council meeting, commission members were appointed to serve on the newly reduced seven-member body.

Six returning commissioners are: Tracy Taylor, Katasha Butler, Ted Vacketta Jr, Adam Brown, Dale Carlton and Pete Goodwin. A new commissioner is Troy Savalick who works at Watchfire Signs.

The zoning commission also continues to talk about other possible zoning ordinance revisions and projects, such as downtown uses and parking, and agriculture zoning regulations.

Coming Up

The Danville Area Planning and Zoning Commission meets at 5:15 p.m. Thursday at the Robert E. Jones Municipal Building, 17 W. Main St.