POSTED 07-23-2024 Solar energy has continued to gain popularity in recent years, and with increased funding on clean energy coming into play going forward, the industry will only continue to grow. As we’ve worked with private developers and municipalities to help design and implement their solar solutions, we’ve continued developing strategies to mitigate some of the challenges of solar development. One is how to identify and mitigate challenges posed by the visual impact of a solar array on neighboring properties or the community. Our team also considers the impact on the project site, local wildlife, and ease of maintenance. We utilize several approaches to help mitigate these issues, including layout, landscape design, and fencing options. When designing or reviewing a solar energy project, we start by understanding the project needs, size, number of panels, connection points, available funding programs, etc. There are numerous other issues and requirements of local laws that can impact the siting of solar projects, including glare, agriculture, zoning districts, soil types, and road access. The availability of land to lease or purchase, the existing topography and vegetation, and the uses of the land and surrounding lands also impact how to best fit the project into the existing landscape and community. Large solar projects may be seen from several miles away, depending on site elevations. We can’t always screen large arrays, but we can help reduce their visual impact by utilizing site design, fencing options, and plant selection to provide naturalistic screening options. Identifying important resources, such as parks, recreation areas, public facilities, cultural resources, etc., helps with this visual analysis. These are required for projects that utilize 94c funding but are also important to local community-scaled solar projects, that may require impact analyses on surrounding residential areas. For these original line-of-sight studies, Google Earth and GIS tools can be used to establish where impacts may occur. To mitigate these challenges, we use line of sight drawings, which can help establish where the project may run into issues due to its visibility. Preserving existing vegetation and creating new landscaping and vegetation are some of the easiest ways to make solar arrays fit into their setting and look more natural. Projects are often proposed with landscaping on top of berms, or it is requested by the local approval body to help reduce visual impacts. We often suggest planting appropriate screening trees and bushes in a staggered, more natural pattern. Berms are also an option, however, the use of berms can cause special challenges, create drainage issues, and, if not designed correctly, cause maintenance problems. A properly designed three to four-foot berm could be 22 to 30 feet wide or more. The type of fencing the design team selects can also help reduce visual impact. When designing fencing, first considerations must be given to fire safety and building codes for solar installations, but some creativity is allowed. Fencing design can also help minimize the impact on local wildlife. For example, NYSDEC and some communities are requiring a six-inch gap at the bottom of the fence to allow for wildlife to go under while still meeting the code. Other developers are considering fencing in smaller areas of the arrays, leaving lanes between fence lines. These lanes allow pathways for larger wildlife to move freely around the solar arrays and allow maintenance vehicles to access various panels easily. The visual impact of solar arrays on the communities in which they are placed can be significant. These are some of the simple ideas for reducing that impact and making these projects better for the community. Learn more about our solutions for Utility & Community Solar. Learn more about our GIS services.