CAIRO — Cairo City Council members voted to approve an ordinance that regulates the use of solar panels within city limits.

“What this does is it allows solar energy to be put on roofs, but not as ground installations except on agricultural or (industrial) properties,” said Mayor Howard Thrower.

The ordinance, which went into effect September 1, modifies existing ordinances to specify that ground-mounted solar energy systems are not permitted in residential zones. City officials say the ground-mounted systems, which the ordinance defines as solar energy systems that are “structurally mounted to the ground and (do) not qualify as an Integrated (solar energy system),” are too large and unsightly for residential neighborhoods.

Decommissioning of ground-mounted panels would begin no later than 12 months after it has ceased to generate energy.

Rooftop solar panels and integrated solar energy systems, which incorporate solar materials into building materials or use solar materials in place of traditional building components, would not be affected by the ordinance.

Solar canopies that do not qualify as integrated solar energy systems would be considered ground-mounted systems, regardless of where they are mounted.

The ordinance was approved by a unanimous vote.

Council members had voted to implement a 60-day moratorium on solar panel construction in June to allow city attorney Thomas Lehman time to research the subject and propose action. In his preliminary research, Lehman discovered that solar panels legally can be considered structures, and are therefore subject to city zoning requirements applicable to structures.