That this chapter is hereby adopted by reference as the "Solar PV Code" of the City of Palm Desert, and from the date on which the ordinance codified in this chapter shall take effect, the provisions thereof shall be controlling within the corporate limits of the City of Palm Desert. The Solar PV Code will be on file for public examination in the office of the building official.
(Ord. 1351 § 2, 2019; Ord. 1388 § 2, 2022)
The purposes of this chapter are to provide minimum standards to safeguard life or limb, health, property and the public welfare by regulating and controlling the design, construction, quality of materials, use and occupancy, location and maintenance of all buildings and structures within the City of Palm Desert; to encourage and instruct people to build safely and economically, rather than to discourage building; to provide a minimum or restrictive enforcement; and to encourage good building.
(Ord. 1351 § 2, 2019; Ord. 1388 § 2, 2022)
"Production home"
means a dwelling constructed as part of a residential development of at least five homes per project that is intended or offered for sale.
"Solar PV energy system"
means a photovoltaic solar collector or other photovoltaic solar energy device that has a primary purpose of providing for the collection and distribution of solar energy for the generation of alternating current rated peak electricity. The installation of any solar PV energy system must meet all installation criteria of the current edition of the California Electrical Code, and must include PV panels and inverters, which are listed by the California Energy Commission.
(Ord. 1351 § 2, 2019; Ord. 1388 § 2, 2022)
All buildings covered by this chapter shall include the following mandatory energy measures as applicable and limited to the permitted scope of work:
A. 
At least one model home as part of a production home development shall be equipped with a solar PV energy system with a minimum nominal output of 2.0 kW.
B. 
A seller of production homes shall offer a solar PV energy system option to all customers that enter negotiations to purchase a new production home and disclose the following:
1. 
The total installed cost of the solar PV energy system option; and
2. 
The estimated cost savings associated with the solar energy system option as determined by current and projected future utility costs.
C. 
Provisions for Future Solar PV Energy Systems. A one-inch diameter electrical conduit shall be provided for installation of future solar PV energy systems. The one-inch diameter electrical conduit shall extend from a point on the exterior wall located under the southern roof exposure, to the exterior wall location adjacent to the main electrical service panel. At each location, the conduit shall terminate at a two-gang, exterior wet location rated electric junction box.
D. 
Energy Star Appliances Required. If provided by the developer, all the following installed appliances shall be Energy Star rated:
1. 
Dishwashers.
2. 
Refrigerators.
3. 
Clothes washers.
4. 
Clothes dryers (natural gas only).
5. 
Ceiling fans.
6. 
Exhaust fans.
(Ord. 1351 § 2, 2019; Ord. 1388 § 2, 2022)
The city council of the city of Palm Desert hereby declares that if any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this chapter or the code hereby adopted is, for any reason, held to be unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of the ordinance codified in this chapter. The city council of the city of Palm Desert hereby declares that it would have passed the ordinance codified in this chapter, and each section, subsection, clause, or phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, and phrases be declared unconstitutional.
(Ord. 1351 § 2, 2019; Ord. 1388 § 2, 2022)
A. 
Each violation of the provisions of this chapter shall constitute a misdemeanor and shall be punishable by imprisonment in the County Jail for up to six months, or by a fine of up to one thousand dollars, or both. Each day that a violation continues shall be deemed a new and separate offense.
B. 
The building official shall have the authority to enforce this chapter as specified in Chapter 1.12 of the Palm Desert Municipal Code, including, but not limited to, the authority to order that work be stopped where any work is being done contrary to the provisions of this chapter.
(Ord. 1351 § 2, 2019; Ord. 1388 § 2, 2022)