Legislative Public Meetings

File #: 16-0766   
Type: Report to Council Status: Passed
Meeting Body: City Council
On agenda: 8/9/2016
Title: Introduce an Ordinance to Amend Chapter 19.56 (Alternative Energy Systems) of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code related to the Solar Access Requirements Study Issue (2016-7279), and Find that the Action is Exempt from CEQA
Attachments: 1. Planning Commission Report from July 11, 2016, 2. Study Issue Paper, 3. Draft Ordinance, 4. Full Text of Council Policy 3.5.1 (Energy), 5. Information on Other Options to Consider, 6. City Attorney Office Memo Regarding Solar Access Rights, 7. Solar Access and Shadow Analysis Handout, 8. Summary of CA State Laws Related to Solar Access, 9. Other Jurisdiction’s Solar Access Regulations, 10. Planning Commission Minutes of July 11, 2016, 11. Sustainability Commission Minutes of July 18, 2016
REPORT TO COUNCIL

SUBJECT
Title
Introduce an Ordinance to Amend Chapter 19.56 (Alternative Energy Systems) of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code related to the Solar Access Requirements Study Issue (2016-7279), and Find that the Action is Exempt from CEQA

Report
SUMMARY OF PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION
This item was considered by the Planning Commission at their July 11, 2016 hearing. Staff answered questions from the Commissioners and further clarified the issue of solar access rights (Attachment 6). One member of the public spoke on the item.

The Planning Commission recommended Alternative 1: to introduce an Ordinance to Amend Chapter 19.56 (Alternative Energy Systems) of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code that allows solar access to be calculated based on an initial analysis conducted on December 21st and if that analysis shows a conflict with solar access greater than 10%, then a second analysis of the full 365 day solar cycle must be performed (The Commission made one edit to the Draft Ordinance it considered, which is reflected in the Ordinance included as Attachment 3), and clarifying when Pacific Time and Pacific Standard Time will be used.

The Report to Planning Commission can be found in Attachment 1. Minutes from the Planning Commission hearing can be found in Attachment 10.

SUMMARY OF THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION ACTION
This item was considered by the Sustainability Commission at their July 18, 2016 hearing. Staff presented the item and answered questions from the Commissioners. No members of the public spoke on this item.

The Sustainability Commission recommended introduction of an ordinance with modifications to the staff recommendation. The Sustainability Commission suggested two modifications to the draft ordinance: 1) to also require a shading measurement for June 21 (with adjusted times), and 2) to require the annual solar cycle measurement with adjustments to the hours based on the day of the solar cycle (exact language is in the Sustainability Commis...

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