Cities, villages,Towns and townships are all seeing the influx of solar energy requests making it necessary for their governing bodies to examine just how much or how little solar based land usage will be allowed within their municipalities. The city of Cottage Grove has determined a boundary for structures known as solar farms, which will place collective pads along open land on the very eastern edge very soon. Afton, Denmark Township, Ravenna Township and ,most recently,the Vermillion Town Board, have all considered a zoning ordinance amendment regulating and establishing performance standards for solar energy systems. Vermillion Township will refer to an ordinance that defines solar energy system uses and just what types of structures will be allowed or permitted. Interested companies and in some cases, independent land owners, must file an application, with a notice and hearing procedure needed for granting interim use permits for certain solar energy system uses and structures. Cottage Grove is currently addressing the camoflaguing of the large screens, with aesthetic concerns, among the main pushback from neighbors who view these collection structures as industrial, and not suited for placement among fields of green and gold. As each board decides where, who, what and when, the common denominator is why, with that answer yet to be determined and decided.
