A. An application for any small size rooftop residential solar, residential energy storage system, also referred to as ESS, and residential EV charger system that meets the requirements of the approved standard plans and checklist of the city shall be issued a building permit or other non-discretionary permit the same day for over the counter or within three business days for electronic submissions with a complete application that meets all the standard plans and checklist requirements. The Building and Safety Division may require an applicant to apply for a use permit, if based on substantial evidence the Director finds, that the system could have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health and safety. Such decisions may be appealed to the Planning Commission.
B. Review of the application shall be limited to the Building and Safety Division review of whether the applicant meets local, state and federal health and safety requirements.
C. If a use permit is required, the Building and Safety Division may deny an application for the use permit if the official 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 the specific, 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 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 similar permit. The city shall use its best efforts to ensure that the selected method, condition, or mitigation meets the conditions of Civil Code Section 714(d)(1)(A)-(B) defining restrictions that do not significantly increase the cost of the system or decrease its efficiency or specified performance.
F. Approval of an application shall not be conditioned on the approval of an association.
G. If an application for a small residential rooftop solar energy system 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 permitting shall be sent to the applicant for resubmission.
H. Only one inspection shall be required and performed by the Building Department for small residential rooftop solar energy systems eligible for expedited review.
I. The inspection shall be done in a timely manner and should include consolidated inspections. An inspection will be scheduled within two business days of a request.
J. Should a system fail its first inspection, a subsequent inspection is required but shall not need to comply with the expedited procedures of this chapter.
(Ord. 2022-12-1542 § 7 (part): Ord. 2015-08-1476 § 1 (part))