(A) The Planning Department shall implement an administrative, nondiscretionary review process to expedite approval of small residential rooftop solar energy systems. The Planning Department shall issue a building permit, the issuance of which is nondiscretionary, on the same day for over-the-counter applications or within one to three business days for electronic applications upon receipt of a complete application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan. The City Manager may require an applicant to apply for an administrative use permit if the official finds, based on substantial evidence, that the solar energy system could have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health and safety. Such decisions may be appealed to the City Planning Commission.
(B) Review of the application shall be limited to the Planning Department's review of whether the application meets local, state, and federal health and safety requirements.
(C) If an administrative use permit is required, the city may deny such application if it makes written findings based upon substantive evidence in the record that the proposed installation would have a specific, adverse impact upon public health or safety and there is no feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid, as defined, the adverse impact. Such findings shall include the basis for the rejection of the potential feasible alternative for preventing the adverse impact. Such decisions may be appealed to the City Planning Commission.
(D) Any condition imposed on an application shall be designed to mitigate the specific, adverse impact upon health and safety at the lowest possible cost.
(E) A FEASIBLE METHOD TO SATISFACTORILY MITIGATE OR AVOID THE SPECIFIC, ADVERSE IMPACT includes, but is not limited to, any cost-effective method, condition, or mitigation imposed by the city on another similarly situated application in a prior successful application for a permit. The city shall use its best efforts to ensure that the selected method, condition, or mitigation meets the conditions of Cal. Civ. Code § 714(d)(1)(A) and (B) defining restrictions that do not significantly increase the cost of the system or decrease its efficiency or specified performance.
(F) If an application is deemed incomplete, a written correction notice detailing all deficiencies in the application and any additional information or documentation required to be eligible for expedited permit issuance shall be sent to the applicant for resubmission.
(G) Only one inspection shall be required and performed by the building and safety division for small residential rooftop solar energy systems eligible for expedited review.
(H) The inspection shall be done in a timely manner and should include consolidated inspections.
(I) If a small residential rooftop solar energy system fails inspection, a subsequent inspection is authorized.
(Ord. 15-105, passed 8-11-2015)