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Back to HomeFeature Article - April 26, 2012 County seeks clarity over micro-fit rulesby Jeff Green

As far as the micro-FIT photovoltaic collar systems are concerned, it looks as if it really is a case of the early bird getting the worm. Anyone who is planning to enter into a contract under the new rates will only be getting a fraction of the payment per kilowatt hour than those who own the panels that already dot the roadsides throughout the region are getting.

Existing systems pay 80.2 cents per kilowatt/hour for roof mounted systems and 64.2 cents for ground mounted systems. The proposed rate for new roof mounted systems will pay 54.9 cents per kilowatt/hour and 44.5 cents for ground mounted systems.

But even at reduced rates there is some language in the proposed new regulations that raise questions about whether any Micro-FIT projects will be permitted in places like Frontenac County. Under the proposed new rules, ground mounted systems “1) may not be located on a property on which residential use is a Lawfully Permitted Use; and 2) may not be located on a property that Abuts another property on which residential use is a Lawfully Permitted Use.”

Peter Young, a planner with Frontenac County, noticed this wording when looking at the regulations. “Since the vast majority of the land in Frontenac County is zoned as ‘rural residential’ and even most of he agricultural land abuts rural residential land, there is a possibility that ground mounted solar systems will be prohibited on most rural properties,” he told a meeting of Frontenac County Council last week.

Young asked if Frontenac County Council wanted him to make a submission to the province for clarification about “residential Use” and “rural residential zoning” on their behalf and Council agreed.

The deadline for submissions regarding the proposed regulations is April 27.