HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-012 - Authorizing A Two-Year Continuance of A ProgramROH - 03/18/13
RESOLUTION NO. 2013-012
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SANTA ANA AUTHORIZING A TWO-YEAR
CONTINUANCE OF A PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE
SOLAR INSTALLATIONS BY TEMPORARILY WAIVING
PERMITTING FEES
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS
FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines
and declares as follows:
A. For the past five years the City Council adopted a fee waiver program to
encourage solar installations for both residential and commercial
properties Citywide. The program's initial adoption resulted from
discussions with the City Council Development Committee and a desire to
broaden the City's environmental agenda. By all accounts the program
has been successful over the past five years in incentivizing solar
installations and should be renewed in order to continue supporting the
City's goals with respect to the environment and sustainability.
B. The two primary uses of solar energy include using the sun to heat water
and to generate electricity. Both rely on widely tested and proven
technologies, however their application has in the past been limited by the
high construction/acquisition costs compared to potential cost savings.
This dynamic continues to shift however given the ever increasing cost of
energy as well as various programs offered by both the State and local
utility companies incentivizing solar installations.
C. Prior to the adoption of the solar permit fee waiver the city processed
relatively few solar energy projects, less than five projects per year. This
number has increased substantially and in 2012 the City processed over
65 solar permit applications a 30 percent increase from 2010. This
increase is consistent with growth in solar projects statewide as California
leads the nation in solar installations recently reaching a major milestone
by installing over one Gigawatt of solar capacity, enough energy to power
100,000 homes.
D. The City's review of solar energy projects involves both plan check and
inspection services. The amount of time required for these reviews
depends primarily on the size and complexity of the solar installation. An
analysis of the type of solar installation requests received over the past
two years indicates that the vast majority of solar installations in Santa
Resolution No. 2013-012
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Ana are for single-family homes. Accordingly, the Building Division has
implemented streamlining procedures to reduce the amount of staff time
required to review and issue permits for residential solar projects, as well
as reducing the fiscal impact of the fee waiver.
E. A two year permit incentive program for solar energy projects would waive
permit and inspection fees as an incentive to encourage solar installations.
Homeowners, business owners, contractors and others would still submit
plans and obtain permits and inspections but the fees for such projects
would be waived during the program period. While the number of solar
energy projects is expected to continue to grow, the environmental and
community benefits of the use of solar energy outweighs the impacts to
workloads and reductions in revenue.
Section 2. The City Council hereby waives for a two year period commencing
upon the date of adoption of this Resolution both plan check and inspection service fees
for solar energy projects that generate heat or electricity and for which permits are
granted. This wavier shall apply to permits granted no later than two years from the date
of adoption of this Resolution.
Section 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the
City Council and the Clerk of the Council shall attest to and certify the vote adopting this
Resolution.
ADOPTED this 18th day of March 2013.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Sonia R. Carvalho, City Attorney
i
By:
e
Attorney
Resolution No. 2013-012
Page 2 of 3
AYES: Councilmembers: Amezcua, Benavides, Martinez, Reyna, Pulido (5)
NOES: Councilmembers: None (0)
ABSTAIN: Councilmembers: None (0)
NOT PRESENT: Councilmembers: Sarmiento, Tinaiero (2)
CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY
I, MARIA D. HUIZAR, Clerk of the Council, do hereby attest to and certify that the
attached Resolution No. 2013-012 to be the original resolution adopted by the City
Council of the City of Santa Ana on March 18, 2013 and that said resolution was
published in accordance with the Charter of the City of Santa Ana.
Date: - ,` f r )<r?
Clerk of the Council
City of Santa Ana
Resolution No. 2013-012
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