RCRC Chair Nate Beason (Nevada County) recently testified before the Assembly Local Government Committee in opposition to Assembly Bill 2188 (Muratsuchi), which calls for the expedited permitting and inspection process for small, residential solar energy systems. AB 2188 has passed both the Assembly policy and fiscal committees, and will next be heard on the Assembly Floor. RCRC staff strongly urges member counties to contact their Assembly Member(s) and describe the impacts this legislation would have upon local government, as well as the potential public safety impacts to local communities, and request that they vote “No” on AB 2188 when it is heard on the Assembly Floor.
As amended May 8, AB 2188 requires each city and county to create an expedited permitting and inspection process for small, residential solar energy systems among other provisions. Specifically, this bill:
- AB 2188 gives preference to solar over all other types of permits, creating a special class of permitting and inspections for one particular industry;
- Requires, by September 30, 2015, every city and every county to adopt an ordinance that creates an expedited, streamlined permitting process for small residential rooftop solar energy systems, consistent with the Solar Rights Act;
- Requires each city and county, in developing an expedited permitting process, to adopt a checklist of all requirements with which small rooftop solar energy systems shall comply to be eligible for expedited review and requires an application that meets the requirements in the checklist to be reviewed within 24 business hours; and,
- Requires for a small residential rooftop solar energy system eligible for expedited review, only one inspection, and requires that one inspection to be scheduled within five business days of receiving a request. If a city or county is unable to provide inspection within five business days of a request, it may authorize a third-party inspection, using a qualified or certified inspector.
The text of AB 2188 may be accessed here.
For additional information, please contact RCRC Legislative Advocate Kathy Mannion at (916) 447-4806 orkmannion@rcrcnet.org.