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An Ordinance amending Article 31 of the Lexington-Fayette County Zoning Ordinance, relating to Solar Energy Systems, as follows: amending Section 31-2 to redefine the footprint of Solar Energy Systems (SES) and provide new definitions relating to farmland of statewide importance, prime farmland, and brownfield property; amending Section 31-4 to expand the zones where SES is an allowable use; amending Section 31-6 to provide additional guidance regarding the siting, screening, usage, and decommissioning of ground mounted SES, to encourage community benefits plans relating thereto, and to further provide specific requirements for any large scale SES located in certain agricultural zones, including requirements for a land management plan, vegetative cover, stormwater management, and agricultural production requirements; amending Section 31-7 to clarify conditional use permit application requirements and to provide considerations for the Board of Adjustment when reviewing conditional use permits for SES; and creating Section 31-8 to provide an exception for ground mounted SES on brownfield properties. (Urban County Council). [Council Office, Hall]
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WHEREAS, at a Public Hearing held on July 9, 2026, a proposed text amendment to Article 31, relating to Solar Energy Systems, was presented to the Urban County Planning Commission; said Commission recommending approval of its alternative text amendment by a vote of 9-0, and the recommendation form of the Planning Commission is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference; and
WHEREAS, the Urban County Council agrees with some of the recommendations of the Planning Commission and disagrees with others, and desires to approve amendments to Article 31 in an alternative form; and
WHEREAS, the Urban County Council finds that Intermediate and Large Scale Ground Mounted SES should be allowable as conditional uses in agricultural zones and desires to give guidance to the Board of Adjustment in its consideration...
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