Cities start process to streamline solar panel installation
Cities across the Central Coast are following new state guidelines regarding solar panel installation. Last year’s Assembly Bill 2188 streamlined the process for homeowners. The trickle down effect is happening now and cities have until September 30 to comply.
Longtime Monterey resident Alan Washburn is thinking long term and is having solar panels put on his newly installed roof. He is considered a “low energy user.” There are eight solar panels on the top of his Monterey home capable of producing 2.28 kilowatts of power. That is enough energy to provide 3,300 kilowatt hours annually.
“I think I’m paying around $55 a month for electricty,” Washburn said. “Something like $5 a month (after the installation).”
He says the process has been pretty easy because of his installer.
“We fill out paperwork,” Antony Tersol with Allied Solar Energy said. “We provide plans, we have diagrams. Often we have to supply something to the fire department to comply with codes.”
AB 2188 could change some of that. The permitting process is about to be streamlined and it should be faster than before. Permit waits could shrink from about five days to three. Monterey building officials aren’t worried because they’re ahead of the game.
“We’ve dialed in the contractors,” John Kuehl said. “They know what we expect. They know what’s required. So we’ve been doing it within the time frame already. It’s not a huge change from what we are currently doing.”
But it could be difficult for communities that don’t do much work with solar energy.
“Where we would see it helping is in some of the other cities that have not done a lot of solar in the past,” Tersol said. “Some of the smaller cities who have somewhat antiquated permitting procedures. They’ll be updating their permitting procedures and getting faster.”
The Monterey City Council is taking up the issue in the second week of July. Pacific Grove is the week after that. Capitola though, is taking up the issue next week. The ordinances have to go through two readings and if adopted, must take effect within 30 days.
