Burleson, TX Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

Chapter 11 of the Burleson Code of Ordinances, Sustainable Energy Devices, treats a solar panel system as a "sustainable energy device," and § 11-8 sets the permit step. A building permit must be obtained prior to installation. The device must be installed as per the manufacturer's recommendations or under the seal of a registered professional engineer in the State of Texas. The site must maintain required landscape standards at all times, and city council must grant a waiver before any tree over six caliper inches is removed from the site.

Where the panels go decides how hard the project is. Roof mounted systems are permitted by right in all zoning districts except PD and SP districts (§ 11-3). No more than six inches may separate the panel from the roof unless a waiver authorizes more, no part of the system can extend beyond the roof edges or roof ridge, and the design must prevent sun reflection toward vehicular traffic and any habitable portion of an adjacent structure. The fire marshal can require a specific roof location for safety.

Ground mounted systems are allowed by right only on tracts of at least five acres in the agricultural district (A) and industrial district (I), and are not permitted elsewhere in the city (§ 11-4). They are limited to 60 feet in height, installed in the rear yard only, and set at least 1,000 feet from interstate and state rights-of-way.

A waiver under § 11-9 is requested from the director of development with a nonrefundable filing fee. City council decides it after a public hearing, with written notice to owners of real property within 200 feet. After a denial, no other waiver request for the same tract or building is considered for six months. Section 11-10 treats a device out of service for a continuous six month period as abandoned: the owner gets 30 days to respond to a notice and 90 days to remove it after a determination of abandonment.