(A) All solar energy systems permitted under this chapter and application procedures shall meet applicable health and safety standards and requirements imposed by the state and the city.
(B) Solar energy systems for heating water in single-family residences and for heating water in commercial or swimming pool applications shall be certified by an accredited listing agency as defined by the California Plumbing and Mechanical Code.
(C) Solar energy systems for producing electricity shall meet all applicable safety and performance standards established by the California Electrical Code, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and accredited testing laboratories such as Underwriters Laboratories and, where applicable, rules of the Public Utilities Commission regarding safety and reliability.
(D) Prior to submitting an application, the applicant shall:
1. Verify, to the city’s reasonable satisfaction and at the applicant’s expense, through the use of standard engineering evaluation techniques that the support structure for the small residential rooftop solar energy system is stable and adequate to transfer all wind, seismic and dead and live loads associated with the system to the building foundation;
2. At the applicant’s cost, verify to the city’s reasonable satisfaction using standard electrical inspection techniques that the existing electrical system including existing line, load, ground and bonding wiring as well as main panel and subpanel sizes are adequately sized, based on the existing electrical system’s current use, to carry all new photovoltaic electrical loads;
3. All documents required for the submission of a solar energy system application shall be made available on the city’s publicly accessible website;
4. Applicants may submit the required permit application and documents in person at the city’s Building Department or may use electronic submittal;
5. An applicant’s electronic signature shall be accepted on all forms, applications and other documents in lieu of a wet signature;
6. The city’s chief building official is hereby authorized by Council and shall adopt a standard plan and checklist of all requirements with which small residential rooftop solar energy systems shall comply to be eligible for expedited review;
7. The small residential rooftop solar energy system permit process, standard plan(s), and checklist(s) shall substantially conform to recommendations for expedited permitting, including the checklist and standard plans contained in the most current version of the California Solar Permitting Guidebook adopted by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research; and
8. All fees prescribed for the permitting of small residential rooftop solar energy systems must comply with Cal. Gov’t Code §§ 65850.55, 66015, 66016 and Cal. Health and Safety Code § 17951.
(E) An application that satisfies the information requirements in the checklist, as determined by the city, shall be deemed complete. Upon receipt of an incomplete application, the city shall issue a written correction notice detailing all deficiencies in the application and any additional information required to be eligible for expedited permit issuance.
(Ord. 624, passed 10-20-2015)