Medina, OH Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

Section 1155.06(c), "Applicability," bars anyone from constructing, erecting, installing, or locating a solar panel or solar collection system in Medina "until proper approval has been obtained pursuant to this Zoning Code." The approval path splits by mounting type. Panels mounted flat on a building's roof are permitted as an accessory use in every zoning district and only need administrative review under § 1155.06(b)(3). Freestanding systems, meaning any panel mounted on a pole or structure other than a roof, are conditionally permitted in every district and must go through Chapter 1153's Conditional Zoning Certificate process.

Section 1155.06(g) lays out the procedure once a conditional use permit is required: the applicant submits a site plan showing property lines, existing structures on the subject property and adjoining properties, the proposed panel location and equipment, system specifications including manufacturer, model and kilowatt size, documentation of notice to the utility if the system will connect to the grid, and electrical details sufficient to confirm National Electrical Code compliance. Beyond the conditional use review, § 1155.06(g)(2)-(3) require the applicant to separately obtain a Zoning Certificate and a Building Permit from the appropriate approving agency as directed by the Planning Director. Substantive limits apply too: under § 1155.06(d), a system can be no larger than needed to cover 120 percent of the structure's electrical needs, roof panels can't rise higher than the roof's peak or more than five feet above a flat roof, and freestanding systems in residential districts are capped at ten feet above grade and barred from front yards and required setback areas.