California Enacts Legislation to Streamline Rooftop Solar Permitting

Attorney Brian Nese authored an article in pv magazine titled “One in a million.” The article discusses legislation passed into law recently in California meant to streamline the inconsistent  and archaic process for permitting for rooftop solar installations. The law is meant to hasten the state’s effort to create a million solar roofs, an initiative launched in 2006 that the state has fulfilled more than 20 percent of to date.

The bill, called AB 2188, mandates straightforward requirements for permitting. Each city and county must adopt “a checklist of all requirements with which small rooftop [10 kW or less residential] solar energy systems shall comply to be eligible for expedited review.” Once the application is complete and meets the checklist, the city or county must approve it and issue the all required permits. If it is found to be incomplete the applicant must be notified within 45 days. The checklist and other documents must be available on the internet, and the submission of the application can be made electronically. The bill limits to one the number of inspections of the installation that may be made.

“One in a million,” was published in pv magazine, November 2014.