The Press Democrat
Sonoma County solar industry ranks 13th in nation for job numbers
03/31/2017
SolSmart Designees
Sonoma County
California
- Installed solar PV on local facilities, totaling 1.89MW across three of Sonoma County Water Agency’s facilities.
- Provided Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing for eligible properties.
- Demonstrated that the community’s installed per capita capacity is above top 20% of states (>99 watts/person).
- 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
