St. Joseph County Recognized for Being “Solar-Friendly”, Promoting Pollinator Habitat Conservation in Clean Energy Projects
03/02/2021
SolSmart Designees
St. Joseph County
Indiana
- 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
SolSmart provided a roadmap for communities in our region to proactively and safely manage the increasing interest in solar, driven by a sharp decline in costs by over 70% which brought solar into the mainstream across all sectors and scales over the last decade.
- Leah Thill, Michiana Area Council of Governments Senior Environmental Planner
