Laserfiche WebLink
REQUEST FOR <br />COUNCIL ACTION <br />CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: <br />JUNE 5, 2018 <br />TITLE: <br />PUBLIC HEARING — ORDINANCE UPDATING <br />SOLAR STREAMLINING ORDINANCE FOR <br />SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS <br />{STRATEGIC PLAN NO. 3,3; 5,2) <br />CIYY MANAGER <br />RECOMMENDED ACTION <br />CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: <br />❑ As Recommended <br />❑ As Amended <br />❑ Ordinance on 7s' Reading <br />❑ Ordinance on 2n° Reading <br />❑ Implementing Resolution <br />❑ Set Public Hearing For <br />CONTINUED TO <br />FILE NUMBER <br />Adopt an ordinance amending Chapter 8 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code updating Solar <br />Streamlining Ordinance for Solar Energy Systems and fees for solar energy systems in order to <br />comply with California Assembly Bill 1414 (AB1414). <br />In 2012, Assembly Bill 1801 amended the California Government Code (Section 65850.5) to <br />promote the installation and use of solar energy by removing obstacles to, and minimizing costs <br />of solar permitting. This Code Section was further amended in 2014 by Assembly Bill 2188 <br />(AB2188), also known as the solar streamlining act, which required that every city must adopt an <br />ordinance that created an expedited, streamlined permitting process for small residential rooftop <br />solar energy systems. Further amending the law, effective January 1, 2018, the State Assembly <br />enacted Assembly Bill 1414 (AB1414), revising definitions and establishing maximum permit fees <br />applicable to solar energy systems within the existing law. <br />The Planning and Building Agency's current solar streamlining process and expedited plan <br />review and permitting for small residential rooftop solar energy systems has been very successful <br />as implemented in compliance with AB2188. In Fiscal Year 2016-2017, the Planning and <br />Building Agency issued 948 solar energy system permits and continued to successfully provide <br />"over-the-counter" permitting services in compliance with the streamlining act. <br />With the changes brought about by AB1414, the proposed ordinance amendment will append to <br />Chapter 8 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code to include: revising the definition of "solar energy <br />system" to specify that a design feature additionally includes any photovoltaic device that is <br />integrated into a building, expanding to building components including, but not limited to, <br />windows, siding, and roofing shingles or tiles, establishing revised maximum permit fees for solar <br />energy systems, establishing maximum permit fees for thermal energy systems, extending the <br />7513-1 <br />