Livonia, MI Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

Section 7.25(1) of the Zoning Ordinance treats solar energy systems as a permitted accessory structure citywide rather than a use requiring waiver approval, but it splits the standards by mounting type. Roof-mounted and wall-mounted systems can go anywhere on a roof or wall of a principal or accessory building, provided the panels don't protrude past the roof edge, and a roof-mounted system cannot extend more than three feet above the roofline or above the building's own maximum permitted height.

Ground-mounted and freestanding systems face tighter siting rules: they must be located in the rear of the principal building, meet the zoning district's ordinary setbacks, and are capped at 10 kilowatts of total production in every district except M-1 and M-2 industrial zones, where the size cap does not apply. A ground system's height, including its mount, cannot exceed 10 feet at maximum tilt, evergreen landscaping must screen the racking and framing from view on all sides, and every power line running between the panels and the inverter has to be placed underground. Every solar application, regardless of mounting type, must include a performance guarantee sufficient to cover decommissioning and removal if the system is ever abandoned, proof of property damage and liability insurance, and evidence that the utility company has been notified of and approved the interconnection, unless the system is off-grid, which is exempt from the utility-notice requirement.