City of North Logan, UT

Initial Status: Standard building permit application, but no solar specific form.

Action Taken: Standard permit form for PV is being considered

Guidance: Consider adopting a standard application form for qualifying solar PV projects <10kW.

Initial Status: General building permit application form is not online.

Action Taken: If adopted, standard PV permit application form will be online.

Guidance: If a standard PV application form is adopted per goal [P1], make the form available online in an easily accessible location.

Initial Status: In person submittal only.

Guidance: Allow email submittal of permit application forms for qualifying projects.

Initial Status: 1 submittal

Action Taken: Single permit application submittal is available for residents and installers.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Process information currently available in-person only.

Action Taken: Considering addition of solar specific info to website.

Guidance: Post information on the solar permitting and inspection process online in an easily accessible location. This should include the process steps, timelines, fees, point of contact, and any other pertinent information.

Initial Status: On average 6-10 days residential and commercial permit turnaround time.

Action Taken: Permit process time is less than 5 days for residential projects and less than 10 days for commercia

Guidance: Consider an expedited or over-the-counter permit approval process for qualifying PV projects using a standard application form (see goal P1). For all projects, issue or deny permit within 3 business days of submittal for residential and within 5 business days for commercial.

Initial Status: Residential permit fee is valuation based.

Action Taken: City is in the processof evaluating a flat fee or placing a cap on the fee.

Guidance: Base residential permit fees on cost recovery, or if a flat fee is used keep the fee amount under $250.

Initial Status: Commercial permit fee is valuation based.

Action Taken: City is in the processof evaluating a flat fee or placing a cap on the fee.

Guidance: Base commercial permit fees on cost recovery, or if a flat fee is used keep the fee amount under $500.

Initial Status: < 2 business days

Action Taken: Inspection is performed within 48 hours of request.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Inspector gives a specific time.

Action Taken: Specific inspection time is given to the installer.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: 3 permit inspections: electrical rough-in, electrical final, structural final

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: PV checklist recently developed

Action Taken: The City utilizes a PV inspection checklist.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Approval from a Structural Professional Engineer is required on all systems.

Guidance: For qualifying residential systems meeting certain criteria, allow an exemption from structural analysis or structural PE stamp requirements.

Initial Status: Updating to 2011 NEC codes soon, currently on 2009 IBC codes

Guidance: Be aware of and consider accepting new solar standards from most recent code cycles.

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

Guidance: Create local ordinances which would protect property owners' right to install solar and ensure their property has unobstructed access to direct sunlight.

Initial Status: Solar development is not addressed in planning documents.

Guidance: Include solar development goals in long term planning documents.

Initial Status: Solar not specifically addressed in zoning ordinances.

Guidance: Ensure the zoning codes and ordinances that govern solar installations, such as setbacks, height limits and lot use provisions, do not restrict property owners' ability to install solar.

Initial Status: Zoning code for historic and viewshed areas does not specifically address solar.

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.

Initial Status: No specific anti-solar ordinances.

Action Taken: The City does not have ordinances which create a barrier to solar.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: No such programs known to exist locally.

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

Initial Status: Limited awareness of and access to these tools currently

Guidance: Consolidate and provide online tools for potential solar system buyers to evaluate and value solar projects for their homes and businesses.

Initial Status: No similar aggregation programs currently exist locally.

Guidance: Support the creation of a working group of community leaders and funding providers. This group would evaluate options and determine the most viable approach for aggregating residential solar based on best practices to date.

Initial Status: No current commercial solar procurement program.

Guidance: Establish a working group of businesses and property owners to aggregate their facilities and buying power for solar evaluation and procurement to decrease energy costs while demonstrating their leadership.

Initial Status: No known solar projects at these sites currently.

Guidance: Establish a working group to identify solar feasibility at municipal landfill and water treatment sites.

Initial Status: Limited awareness of these resources locally.

Guidance: Provide online access to training programs and resources for the installer community and potential workforce and organize an outreach and/or training event in order to generate awareness and understanding.

Initial Status: Limited awareness of these tools locally.

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