Solar Community Resources
Local governments across the seven-county metro region are exploring and investing in solar energy as part of a larger strategy to mitigate climate change. The Metropolitan Council has aggregated the region’s local government solar energy planning resources here. These resources include planning documents, city ordinances, and local government webpage.
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Solar energy planning documents include energy action plans, sustainability plans, resilience plans, climate action plans, and select chapters from 2040 comprehensive plan updates.
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City ordinance resources include City codes that have explicitly titled (sub)sections for solar energy (i.e. - “Solar Energy Systems Ordinance”, “Alternative Energy Systems Ordinance”, etc.).
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Local government webpage resources include links to municipal solar energy permitting and inspections webpages, utility engagement webpages, financial resource webpages, and solar energy development and educational resource webpages. The Council has developed a Local Government Solar Landing Page Resources Template for metro region communities.
To access solar energy planning resources beyond the seven-county metro region, visit the Metropolitan Council’s Solar Energy Planning & Implementation Resources, which aggregates useful guides, organizations, and tools from across Minnesota, the Upper Midwest, and the nation. As a seven-county metro community, you may also contact your Local Planning Assistance Sector Representative to put you in touch with the Metropolitan Council’s solar advisor.
Solar Resources
Find resources by community or by resource type (ordinances, plans, etc.)
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Solar Communities Map
The highlighted communities have solar sustainability and energy plans, ordinances, or web resources.
“SolSmart Designated Communities” are communities that are incorporating national solar energy best practices into their planning and permitting processes to become solar-ready communities. There are currently 26 Metro Communities, representing 1.5 million residents, actively enrolled in SolSmart.
Metropolitan Council Solar Partners
