AI-assisted research summary: Municipalities must follow specified permit standards for certain solar energy devices, including plan details, limited engineer-stamp requirements, fee limits, public notice, and fee-disclosure rules.
9-468 - Solar construction permits; standards; definition 9-468. Solar construction permits; standards; definition A. Municipalities shall adopt the following standards for issuing permits for the use of certain solar energy devices: 1. For construction with solar photovoltaic systems that are intended to connect to a utility system, the following apply: (a) The location of the photovoltaic system installation shall be indicated on the construction plans, including the roof plan and elevation. (b) Photovoltaic panel mounting details shall be included in the installation plans. (c) The electrical diagrams shall include one-line or three-line diagrams. A one-line or three-line electrical diagram is not required if a qualified online automated permitting platform is used to verify code compliance. (d) For direct current to alternating current conversions, the cut sheet and listings for inverters shall be included in the plans. (e) A municipality shall not require a stamp from a professional engineer for a solar photovoltaic system unless an engineering stamp is deemed necessary. If an engineering stamp is deemed necessary, the municipality shall provide the permittee a written explanation of why the engineering stamp is necessary. (f) A municipality may use a qualified online automated permitting platform to verify code compliance in order to satisfy the requirements of subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) of this paragraph. 2. For solar water heating systems, the following apply: (a) The location of the solar panel system shall be indicated on the construction plans, including the roof plan and elevation, and shall include mounting details for panel installation. (b) Construction plan notes shall include a requirement that solar water heating equipment be installed in compliance with applicable plumbing codes and as prescribed by a solar rating and certification corporation and any guidelines adopted by this state. (c) A municipality shall not require a stamp from a professional engineer for a single-family solar water heating system unless an engineering stamp is deemed necessary. If an engineering stamp is deemed necessary, the municipality shall provide the permittee a written explanation of why the engineering stamp is necessary. B. Any building or permit fee or charge assessed by a city or town for a building permit for solar construction must be attributable to and defray or cover the expense of the service for which the fee or charge is assessed. A fee or charge shall not exceed the actual cost of issuing a permit, and a written, itemized list of the individual costs associated with the permit fee shall be provided at the request of the permittee. C. Before adoption of a fee for service or an additional or separate charge pursuant to this section, a city or town shall hold a public hearing on the issue with at least fifteen days' published notice. D. The method by which a city or town arrives at an assessed permit or plan fee must be published and made available to the public. E. For the purposes of this section, "qualified online automated permitting platform" means a web-based portal that automates plan review, produces code-compliant approvals and issues permits for residential solar energy systems and residential energy storage systems paired with residential solar energy systems in real time.