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SolSmart Designees
Edina
Minnesota
Population: 52,857
Designation Level:
SolSmart Gold
Year Designated:
2019
Proving that you don’t have to be in a sunny climate to use sun power, the city of Edina, Minnesota, is a leader in solar energy use as part of its overall efforts to promote renewable energy. The city recently earned the prestigious SolSmart Gold designation, becoming the third city in the Twin Cities Metro Area to signal it is “open for solar business.”
- 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
It was great to go through the SolSmart certification process because it gave us a third-party audit and allowed us to see what experts, as well as other cities, did to ensure that our community was open for solar.
- Tara Brown, Sustainability Manager
