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In order to sustain the unique quality of life generations have come to enjoy in the Tennessee valley, the City of Chattanooga embraces and supports the design, development, and installation of renewable sources of energy that will bring clean, affordable, and reliable access to electricity for all Chattanoogans."Mayor Andy Berke
SolSmart Criteria
Program Highlights
Case Study
SolSmart Criteria
Created an online permitting checklist, increasing transparency for community members and solar installers.
Reviewed local zoning codes and identified restrictions that intentionally or unintentionally prohibit solar PV development
Allowed solar by-right accessory use in all zones (so solar installations don’t require special permits or hearings)
Cross-trained both inspection and permitting staff on solar PV
Provided a streamlined permitting pathway for small PV systems
Created a streamlined process to approve certain solar permit applications over the counter
Program Highlights
Electric Power Board constructed the city’s first community solar project which consists of 4, 408 solar panels with a total output of nearly 1.4 megawatts of power.
Case Study
Chattanooga, Tennessee, has been intentional about seizing collaborative opportunities to improve the quality of life for its residents. As a result, Chattanooga decided to pursue SolSmart Gold to help the city make it faster, simpler, and more transparent for residents and businesses to go solar. Chattanooga achieved SolSmart Gold by evaluating what criteria needed to be worked on, working with a technical advisor, and working collaboratively across sectors to create a community solar project. The project is designed to lower barriers to participating in solar power generation by cutting the cost of owning solar panels on a home.