Village of Northport, NY Article III Expediting Installation of Solar Energy Panels

[Adopted 5-5-2015 by L.L. No. 2-2015]

§ 106-27 Legislative intent.

A. It is the intention of the Northport Village Board as part of its goal to limit America's dependence on imported sources of fossil energy, cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the cost of energy for our residents to enact the Unified Solar Permit Process. It is important to establish a process which establishes a standardized permit for use by all New York municipalities that simplifies and streamlines the permitting of small-scale photovoltaic systems and fast-tracks the permit process. The fast-track process is modeled on the guideline recommendations of the Long Island Unified Solar Permitting Initiative, whereby the installation of standard solar energy systems can be standardized, simplified and accelerated in towns and villages across Long Island.

§ 106-28 Applications for permit.

A. All building permit applications for installation of photovoltaic systems on residential and nonresidential buildings shall be expedited by the Northport Village Building Department. Applications for standard installations on residential and nonresidential property shall be determined within 14 business days of the filing of a completed application. If the application is incomplete or deficient, it shall be returned to the applicant within seven days of receipt by the Village of Northport Building Department.

B. For the purpose of this article, the term "standard installation" shall mean those installations that meet the following criteria and any subsequent amendment thereto:

(1) Are not subject to architectural review;

(2) Are proposed for installation on a roof with a single layer of roof covering;

(3) Are to be flush-mounted parallel to the roof surface and no more than six inches above the surface;

(4) Have an eighteen-inch clearing at one side of the roof ridge and at least an eighteen-inch clearing path to the ridge;

(5) Add a gravity roof load of no more than five pounds per square foot for photovoltaic (PV) and six pounds per square foot for residential solar hot water (RSHW);

(6) Be installed by contractors which are on LIPA's prescreened solar contractor list;

(7) Use PV panels that have been certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory as meeting the requirements of the Underwriters' Laboratories (UL) Standard 1703, and inverters .must be on a list of New York State Public Service Commission type tested inverters which are tested by UL or other nationally recognized laboratories to conform with UL 1741;

(8) Use RSHW equipment that has been certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation under its OG-100 standard for solar collectors;

(9) Use other equipment such as modules, combiner boxes and a mounting system that have been approved for public use; and

(10) Be in full compliance with all current National Electrical Code (NEC) requirements.

C. The application for the installation of photovoltaic system shall be in substantial conformity with the requirements of the Long Island Unified Solar Permitting Initiative and its solar energy fast-track permit application.

§ 106-29 Waiver of fees.

All building permit application fees for small-scale photovoltaic systems on residential and nonresidential structures shall be waived, provided the installation has not been commenced or completed before a permit has been applied for or issued.

§ 106-30 Issuance of certificate of completion; sign or decal required.

Prior to the issuance of a certificate of completion or compliance, a sign (or decal) shall be affixed by the property owner to the utility meter and at any alternating current (AC) disconnect switch indicating the existence of an operating solar electric cogeneration system on site.