City of Cupertino, CA

Initial Status: Permit application for alternative energy is available online.

Guidance: City currently at best practice. Consider adopting a regional standard application form for systems <10kW. Using common permit materials, such as checklists and standard plans, across a region reduces permit submittal errors among contractors.

Initial Status: Permit application form is online.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Permit applications can be submitted in person, by mail or via email.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Single submittal.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Information about permit and process information and fees are online.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Permit application turnaround time is under 3 days for residential, 5 days for commercial projects.

Guidance: City currently at best practice. Consider an expedited or over-the-counter permit (OTC) approval process for qualifying PV projects using a standard application form (see goal P1).

Initial Status: Residential permit fee is a flat rate of $200.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Permit fee for commercial projects varies.

Guidance: Permit fee for commercial systems is based on cost recovery or a flat fee no more than $1,000 for systems <50 kW, plus $7 for every kW between 51 kW and 250 kW, plus $5 for every kW over 250 kW. Open-ended valuation based fee structures are inconsistent with State law.

Initial Status: Inspection request turnaround time is within 2 days or less.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Installers are given a two-hour window for inspection time.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Multiple inspection visits for solar PV projects.

Guidance: Require only a single permit inspection. If additional inspections are required during installation, conduct in a manner that does not require installer to halt work.

Initial Status: No inspection checklist currently utilized.

Guidance: Utilize a standard inspection checklist for PV systems. The checklist serves as a guide for inspectors and installers containing points of emphasis and common issues.

Initial Status: PV systems meeting certain criteria are exempt.

Guidance: City currently at best practice. Exempt systems: rooftop PV systems weighing under 5 pounds per square foot or maximum height above roof surface is less than 18 inches, ground-mount systems not exceeding 5 feet in height.

Initial Status: City staff have been trained on latest solar-specific building, electrical and fire codes.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Adopted Ordinance Number 15-2133 to provide expedited streamlined permitting process for small rooftop systems.

Initial Status: No local ordinance to protect solar rights and access.

Guidance: Create local ordinances that go beyond the CA Solar Rights Act and Solar Shade Control Act, which would protect property owners' right to install solar and ensure their property has unobstructed access to direct sunlight.

Initial Status: No local solar ready ordinaces for new construction.

Guidance: Explore creation of municipal ordinances which require all new homes and buildings to be built solar-ready, which go beyond California's "solar zones" mandate in the 2013 Energy Code (Section 110.10). Starting July 1, 2014, the building codes will require certain new construction to pre-wire for solar.

Initial Status: Climate Action Plan is currently being developed, General Plan addresses solar energy use.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: No local standards for solar zoning and review.

Guidance: Restrictive covenants must be appropriately minimized in order to maximize local opportunities to harness and benefit from solar energy.

Initial Status: No local solar zoning ordinances and regulations for historic and viewshed areas.

Guidance: Ensure the zoning codes and ordinances that govern solar installations in aesthetically sensitive areas do not adversely affect property owners' ability to install solar. Allow staff members to review and approve applications when possible rather than requiring committee or planning commission review. CA Solar Rights Act requires that local governments use an administrative, non-discretionary review process for on-site solar energy systems that do not place restrictions on visual or aesthetic concerns.

Initial Status: State law protects against restrictive covenants.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: PACE financing is available through CaliforniaFIRST.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: No current solar loan program, however a program for commercial projects is being developed.

Guidance: Encourage local financial institutions to establish loan programs for solar energy systems.

Initial Status: Green Cupertino website has information on solar programs and incentives.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Cool Cities Cupertino is working with RECSolar to offer community discounts on new solar PV systems.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: No aggregation procurement program for commercial sector currently.

Guidance: Establish a working group of businesses and commercial property owners to leverage their solar purchasing power by aggregating facilities for solar evaluation and procurement to reduce energy costs while demonstrating community leadership.

Initial Status: City has participated in two aggregation procurement programs.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: City has participated in two aggregation procurement programs.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: City has a Green Resources page with links to training resources and tools.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Educational resources available on Green Cupertino website.

Guidance: Help promote the availability of online tools and resources for the residential, commercial, and municipal solar markets through existing networks.