Florida Senate - 2021                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. CS for SB 896
       
       
       
       
       
       
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                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
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       The Committee on Rules (Gruters) recommended the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Before line 16
    4  insert:
    5         Section 1. Section 163.3205, Florida Statutes, is created
    6  to read:
    7         163.3205 Solar facility approval process.—
    8         (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage
    9  renewable solar electrical generation throughout this state. It
   10  is essential that solar facilities and associated electric
   11  infrastructure be constructed and maintained in various
   12  locations throughout this state in order to ensure the
   13  availability of renewable energy production, which is critical
   14  to this state’s energy and economic future.
   15         (2) As used in this section, the term “solar facility”
   16  means a production facility for electric power which:
   17         (a) Uses photovoltaic modules to convert solar energy to
   18  electricity that may be stored on site, delivered to a
   19  transmission system, and consumed primarily offsite.
   20         (b) Consists principally of photovoltaic modules, a
   21  mounting or racking system, power inverters, transformers,
   22  collection systems, battery systems, fire suppression equipment,
   23  and associated components.
   24         (c) May include accessory administration or maintenance
   25  buildings, electric transmission lines, substations, energy
   26  storage equipment, and related accessory uses and structures.
   27         (3) A solar facility shall be a permitted use in all
   28  agricultural land use categories in a local government
   29  comprehensive plan and all agricultural zoning districts within
   30  an unincorporated area and must comply with the setback and
   31  landscaped buffer area criteria for other similar uses in the
   32  agricultural district.
   33         (4) A county may adopt an ordinance specifying buffer and
   34  landscaping requirements for solar facilities. Such requirements
   35  may not exceed the requirements for similar uses involving the
   36  construction of other facilities that are permitted uses in
   37  agricultural land use categories and zoning districts.
   38  
   39  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   40  And the title is amended as follows:
   41         Delete line 2
   42  and insert:
   43         An act relating to renewable energy; creating s.
   44         163.3205, F.S.; providing legislative intent; defining
   45         the term “solar facility”; providing that solar
   46         facilities are a permitted use in local government
   47         comprehensive plan agricultural land use categories
   48         and certain agricultural zoning districts; requiring
   49         solar facilities to comply with specified criteria;
   50         authorizing counties to adopt ordinances that meet
   51         certain requirements; amending s.