Village of Hastings On Hudson, NY

Initial Status: There is a standard building permit application form, but nothing specific to PV currently

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

Initial Status: Permit application forms are available are online

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

Initial Status: Ready to apply for your PV permit? Why not just email it to the city; no need for stamps or a trip to their office.

Guidance: Nice Job Hastings! You're head to head with the leading cities in expediting the permitting submission process.

Initial Status: Only a single submittal is required for single family homes!

Guidance: Current national best practice.

Initial Status: Permit process information including point-of-contact and fee schedule is available online

Guidance: You're doing great. To make residents even happier consider adding a direct link for PV information on your city's home page.

Initial Status: Permit turnaround normally takes 4-10 days residential, and more than 2 weeks for commercial

Guidance: Hastings offers a Solar Checklist to help guide customers through the permit process quickly. This is great start! Now consider ways to speed up turn around. Consider an expedited or over-the-counter permit approval process for qualifying PV projects using a standard application form, particularly if the NYS Unified Solar Permit Form is adopted per goal [P1].

Initial Status: Permit fee is valuation based at $15/$1000 plus a flat fee for certificate of occupancy and electric review

Guidance: The permit fee for a typical residential system would be around $375 for the building permit plus $35 for the certificate of occupancy and $90 for electrical. Total cost about $500. This is a bit high for residential systems; consider capping the permit fee portion at $250 or less.

Initial Status: Permit fee is uncapped valuation based at $15/$1000 plus other fees. Plus $50 application.

Guidance: Valuation based fee will become cost prohibitive for larger commercial systems. Although permit fees generate revenue for the village solar benefits may be blocked for larger systems. Solar growth could be encouraged with a cap on fees. Consider basing the commercial permit fee on cost recovery, or if a flat fee is used keep the fee amount under $500.

Initial Status: Typical turnaround time from request to inspection is less that 2 days!

Guidance: We're proud of this village. They've really cut turnaround times to the minimum.

Initial Status: A appointment winodw of 2 hours is used for scheduling inspections.

Guidance: The village does a good job scheduling inspections, and has achieved the target of less than 4 hours.

Initial Status: According to our reserch the only inspection needed is a structural final review.

Guidance: We've had conflicting information that a separate electrical inspection in required. If anyone from the village is able to clear up this issue please contact the ASTI team. http://www.solarroadmap.com/about/contact/

Initial Status: Hi. In your survey response City staff indicated a checklist is in use. But it's not visible online at ePropertyPortal without a login.

Guidance: The ePropertyPortal which the City directs to may be confusing for some residents. Make a standard inspection checklist for PV systems easy to find on the City's web page under Building Department. The checklist serves as a guide for inspectors and installers containing points of emphasis and common issues. Ideally this is a set of guidelines that helps your inspectors make the best use of their time, and saves the City money.

Initial Status: A structural PE stamp is currently required for both residential and commercial systems.

Guidance: For qualifying residential systems meeting certain criteria, allow an exemption from structural analysis or structural PE stamp requirements. See examples of criteria used by other communities under the 'Take Action' button at right.

Initial Status: Current code requirements are the Residential Code of New York State, 2010 edition and the National Fire Protective Association (NFPA-70) National Electrical Code 2008 Edition

Guidance: Though the Village is on an older code cycle, officials seem knowledgeable on current solar standards. See the 'Take Action' button at right for additional resources for ongoing solar-related education for building officials.

Initial Status: State law allows for creation of solar easements and solar access provisions in local zoning code

Guidance: Village Zoning Code 295-3 says easements are applicable "To provide adequate light, air and privacy and to preserve solar access." Consider creating local ordinances which would protect solar access by ensuring property remains shade-free and establishing a process for creating, registering, and enforcing solar easements.

Initial Status: Code should encourage solar ready roofs and plan new streets to be oriented east-west to promote solar exposure

Guidance: The existing Code is a great start, though consider further measures to create solar ready homes. Making changes to a village isn't easy. But with solar-ready roofs you prepare the community for an easier future with access to a self directed energy resource. See examples under the 'Take Action' button at right of additional no- to low- cost measures that can make it easier to retrofit solar.

Initial Status: The village does have energy goals in long term planning

Guidance: According to our research as a Climate Smart Community, the village has a comprehensive sustainability plan. Incorporating solar into that plan in a concrete way, (e.g. 50% of community energy from solar) will help the village to meet its greenhouse gas targets more directly than setting the goal alone.

Initial Status: Solar is "as of right" in all zoning districts, though approval from Architectural Review Board is reqd

Initial Status: Unknown whether local HOAs have any restrictive policies. To be determined.

Guidance: Work with condo owner and homeowners associations to ensure that their covenant, conditions, and restrictions and bylaws do not create undue barriers to solar installations.

Initial Status: Local vendors offer 3rd party finance, and NYSERDA Green Jobs Green NY offers low interest loans

Guidance: Effective finance options are offered in the region.

Initial Status: Some awareness exists within the community currently

Guidance: Publicize the availability of local solar finance options and solar evaluation tools for potential buyers. Consider doing this via an update to the existing webpage promoting the Solarize campaign, or by linking more visibly to the Village's participation in Sustainable Westchester which has many resources available.

Initial Status: Village has not participated in any such programs to date

Guidance: Solarize Westchester has selected the Village of Rye Brook to participate in a solar discount program that makes installing solar electric systems simpler and more affordable for their residents and businesses. The Solarize Rye Brook program launched with a workshop on October 22, 2015 at the Rye Brook Village Hall which was open to homeowners and commercial property owners. Learn more at http://www.ryebrook.org/Cit-e-Access/webpage.cfm?TID=31&TPID=15455

Initial Status: Village joined the Municipal Solar Buyers Group

Guidance: Village currently at best practice. The Buyers Group is an aggregation effort to allow public sector building access to solar installations via power purchase agreements.

Initial Status: Not aware of solar at any Village properties currently, though see goal [M3] for current activity

Guidance: Establish a working group to identify solar feasibility at landfills, water treatment plants, or other municipal properties though the Solar Buyers Group. If there are additional properties that were not included in this RFP, the Solar Roadmap team can help by evaluating solar potential at these properties.

Initial Status: Village does promote the Solarize program on their website. See details under goal [M1].

Guidance: Village has taken great strides via participation in Sustainable Westchester and by promoting the local Solarize campaign.

Initial Status: Village is a member of Sustainable Westchester