Planning for Solar Equity: Zoning and Land Use Strategies for Community Solar Gardens in Rural Minnesota

Authors

Mahmoud Othman, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Yunwoo Nam

Committee Members

Zhenghong Tang, Kim Todd

Date of this Version

11-2025

Document Type

Project

Citation

A professional project for the degree Master of Community and Regional Planning (M.C.R.P.)

Community and Regional Planning, University of Nebraska, November 2025

Advisory Committee: Yunwoo Nam (chair), Zhenghong Tang, and Kim Todd

Comments

Copyright 2025, Mahmoud Jamal Othman. Used by permission

Abstract

This project examines how land use planning and zoning can support equitable deployment of community solar gardens (CSGs) in rural Minnesota counties and townships. Although Minnesota is widely regarded as a policy leader in community solar, most solar arrays are concentrated in metropolitan areas with greater planning capacity and demand. By contrast, rural jurisdictions must navigate dispersed populations, limited staff, and competing agricultural land uses. Focusing on Clay, Stearns, and Chisago Counties, the study analyzes local ordinances and related land use policies to understand how community-scale solar is defined, sited, permitted, and decommissioned.

Solar regulations are systematically coded for key elements (definitions, siting standards, review pathways, and end-of-life provisions) and interpreted through the lenses of energy equity and rural planning practice. Semi-structured interviews with county planners and solar developers provide practitioner insight into community resistance, utility interconnection delays, and infrastructure constraints. Cross-case comparison reveals emerging innovations, such as tiered permitting thresholds and solar overlay districts, alongside persistent gaps in explicitly accommodating CSGs and prioritizing low- to moderate-income access.

Drawing on these findings, the project proposes a solar ordinance template that emphasizes transparent procedures, consistent standards, and intentional equity outcomes. By linking ordinance language to implementation pathways, the study offers practical tools rural local governments can use to balance farmland preservation with clean energy goals and to position rural communities as active partners in Minnesota’s renewable energy transition.

Advisor: Yunwoo Nam