Pueblo County, CO

Initial Status: No PV specific form

Action Taken: Standard PV electrical plans adopted by the County in addition the the standard building permit appl

Guidance: Standard application form for qualifying solar PV projects is now available and accepted by PRBD.

Initial Status: Standard building permit form available online, though no PV specific form available

Action Taken: Standard PV electrical plans added to PRBD website

Guidance: Standard form is available on PRBD website at http://www.prbd.com/forms.php

Initial Status: Walk-in application for most solar permits

Action Taken: Online PDF application form may be submitted by email

Guidance: County currently at best practice

Initial Status: 1 submittal

Action Taken: Single permit application submittal is available for residents and installers.

Guidance: County currently at best practice

Initial Status: Information online including application checklist and permit fee, but no solar inspection info

Action Taken: General info, permit fees, and inspection schedule is online

Guidance: County currently at best practice.

Initial Status: < 3 days res, <5 comm

Action Taken: Most permits are issued over-the-counter or withing 2 business days.

Guidance: County currently at best practice

Initial Status: $290

Action Taken: Permit fee for residential projects is a flat fee of $290.

Guidance: County currently at best practice

Initial Status: Follows a valuation schedule

Action Taken: Permit fee for commpercial PV projects is valuation based capped at $1000.

Guidance: County currently in compliance with state law which caps permit fees at $1000.

Initial Status: < 1 business days

Action Taken: Inspection is performed within 24 hours of request.

Guidance: County currently at best practice

Initial Status: Day long window

Action Taken: Specific inspection time is not given to the installer, however, inspectior calls installer before a

Guidance: Though no official appointment time is set, a real time update is provided prior to arrival so contractor is given notice when inspector is soon to arrive.

Initial Status: Two permit inspections, structural rack and electrical/final.

Action Taken: Installer is not required to halt work for preliminary structural inspection

Guidance: County currently at best practice

Initial Status: No checklist currently, though being pursued

Action Taken: The County is in the process of reviewing an inspection checklist.

Guidance: Consider utilizing a standard PV inspection checklist and making available online. This can serve as an informational resource for installers and as a guide for field inspectors.

Initial Status: Currently on 2009 ICC codes and 2011 NEC

Guidance: Be aware of and consider accepting new solar standards from most recent code cycles

Initial Status: No ordinances create a barrier, though no proactive solar protection

Guidance: Create local ordinances which protect solar access by ensuring property remains shade-free and establishing a process for creating, registering, and enforcing solar easements.

Initial Status: No such standards known to exist locally

Guidance: Explore creation of municipal ordinances which require new homes and buildings to be built solar-ready.

Initial Status: No solar specific mandates for new construction

Guidance: Explore implementing solar mandates for new construction for all buildings or a segment of the new building stock

Initial Status: County Strategic Sustainability Plan incorporates solar priorities

Action Taken: Sustainability Principles added to Pueblo Regional Development Plan

Guidance: Continue to include more specific provisions regarding solar for new developments, including promotion of solar access and solar-ready construction standards.

Initial Status: Not specifically addressed in zoning codes. Zoning review conducted for most systems, typ OTC.

Guidance: Current regulations are solar friendly, no significant overhaul needed. Consider formalizing the regulations and design review process via adoption of zoning codes that have specific guidance to solar.

Initial Status: Colorado solar access laws prohibit such covenants

Guidance: County currently at best practice

Initial Status: No such program exists in local market currently

Guidance: Establish a working group to evaluate the potential of a PACE financing program for clean energy upgrades in your jurisdiction based on national examples by local municipalities.

Initial Status: Some awareness of 3rd party finance, but limited awareness of other options

Guidance: Help create awareness of regional solar finance options and resources among key County stakeholders to increase customer understanding and use. This awareness could be generated through the County website or via existing channels such as periodic conferences, meetings, or newsletters.

Initial Status: Minimal awareness of these tools now

Guidance: Help market the availability of on-line tools to help potential solar system buyers in the region evaluate and value solar projects for their homes, businesses and government facilities. This could be accomplished through the County website or via existing channels such as periodic conferences, meetings, or newsletters. The PV Value tool (available in resources at right) will be particularly useful for local appraisers who are currently misvaluing PV systems.

Initial Status: No similar aggregations known to exist locally

Guidance: Establish a working group of community leaders and financing providers to evaluate aggregated purchasing options for residential solar based on successful case studies.

Initial Status: No similar aggregations known to exist locally

Guidance: Establish a working group of businesses and property owners to aggregate their facilities and buying power for solar evaluation and procurement to decrease energy costs while demonstrating their leadership. This is in line with County Strategic Sustainability Plan goal of "District or industrial-scale installations to offset major users, including Pueblo Memorial Airport Industrial Park demonstration project for an energy district renewable energy development and site-specific renewable energy applications at Evraz Rocky Mountain Steel Mill and Vestas"

Initial Status: Aggregation program at (9) County facilities completed in December 2010.

Action Taken: The County has installed rooftop solar at 9 facilties.

Guidance: Consider collaborating with agencies across the region to aggregate government facilities, including municipal buildings and schools, for solar evaluation and cost-effective procurement to demonstrate leadership and reduce energy costs while strengthening the economy and environment. This is in line with County Strategic Sustainability Plan goal to "Increase implementation of renewable energy in County-owned facilities."

Initial Status: No similar projects known to exist now in the area

Guidance: Establish a working group to identify brownfield sites with solar potential across the County, following the best practices and case studies provided. This is in line with County Strategic Sustainability Plan goal to "Increase investment in renewable energy development, particularly utility-scale wind and solar." Brownfield sites often offer large scale power potential.

Initial Status: Minimal level of information currently available in the County

Guidance: Consolidate regional and statewide standards and best practices, provide online as a resource to the installer community, and organize an outreach/training event to generate awareness and understanding.

Initial Status: Minimal level of information currently available in the County

Action Taken: The County's Strategic Sustainability plan recommends developing partnerships and new workforce and

Guidance: Consolidate solar resources and best practices, provide online as a resource to the consumer market (residential and commercial), and organize an outreach/training event to generate awareness and understanding across the community. This is in line with County Strategic Sustainability Plan goal to "Develop ongoing partnerships for community outreach, workforce development, and new business development centered on energy efficiency and renewable energy"