City of San Jose, CA

Initial Status: Solar PV specific permit form is in use.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Permit application form online, but user must create an account to access it.

Guidance: City currently at best practice for making the permit application available online at https://www.sjpermits.org/permits/ However, considering making the form available online in an easily accessible location in a PDF format that can be completed off-line.

Initial Status: Electronic submittal available.

Guidance: City currently at best practice-- electronic submittal available at San Jose Online Permits site: https://www.sjpermits.org/permits/

Initial Status: 1 submittal required.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Comprehensive process information is available online.

Guidance: City currently at best practice-- information regarding the solar permitting and inspection process available at https://www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?nid=1505

Initial Status: Within 3 business days residential, 5 days commercial.

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

Initial Status: Average residential permit fee is $310.

Guidance: City at best practice-- residential permit fees are in compliance with State law.

Initial Status: Commercial permit fee depends on the size of the system.

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: Within two business days.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Appointment window of two hours.

Guidance: City currently at best practice. Provide real time updates prior to arrival so contractor is aware and prepared.

Initial Status: Single comprehensive inspection.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: Inspection checklist available online.

Guidance: City currently at best practice-- see inspection checklist at https://www.sanjoseca.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/1760

Initial Status: Qualifying systems are exempt from building permits and structural review.

Guidance: City currently at best practice-- building permits and review are not required for installations whose total panel weight (including frame) is less than 5 lbs. per square foot, with a maximum concentrated load at each point of support of less than 40 lbs., and whose maximum height above roof surface does not exceed 18 inches.

Initial Status: Awareness of recent solar updates in 2013 California Codes

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: No local ordinance for 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: No local ordinance for solar-ready construction standards.

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: City of San Jose's Green Vision Plan promotes renewable energy development, including solar.

Guidance: City currently at best practice-- see Goal 3 of the Green Vision Plan at http://www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?NID=2948

Initial Status: Solar friendly zoning ordinances in place.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: All structures are zoned to allow solar as a matter of right.

Guidance: City currently at best practice.

Initial Status: PACE financing available through CaliforniaFIRST and the HERO program.

Guidance: City at best practice-- residential and commercial PACE financing available through two programs.

Initial Status: No known local solar loan program

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

Initial Status: City promotes solar financing and evaluation information through the Silicon Valley Energy Map.

Guidance: City currently at best practice-- see the City's solar evaluation tool, the Silicon Valley Energy Map, http://www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?nid=1504

Initial Status: No such programs known to 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 such programs known to exist locally

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: No known solar at San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility.

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: City provides online resources, including the Silicon Valley Energy Map.

Guidance: City currently at best practice-- see the Silicon Valley Energy Map http://www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?nid=1504