HomeMy WebLinkAboutSB 1222 LTR to Achadjian 20120823off.
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�! OFFICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
4 / S O 990 Palm Street ■ San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3249 ■ 805/781-7119
August 23, 2012
VIA FACSIMILE ONLY 916-319-2133
The Honorable Katcho Achadjian
California State Assembly
State Capitol, Room 2016
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: SB 1222 (Leno). Solar energy: permit fees
NOTICE OF OPPOSITION
Dear Assembly Member Achadjian:
The City of San Luis Obispo is opposed to SB 1222, authored by Senator Leno, which
would place a cap on building permit fees on solar residential systems as well as require local
agencies to justify their "reasonable costs" in a finding and ordinance for any costs above $400
for residential and $1,000 for commercial solar systems.
Under the existing Mitigation Fee Act, when a local government imposes a fee, it may
not exceed the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged. If
a local government fee exceeds the reasonable cost, then the local government is required to
submit the fee to the voters. Cities set their own fees and many utilize the permit fees that are
based on the State Building Standards Code because those fees reflect the reasonable costs of
providing the related services. We do not believe it is the role of the state to undermine local
decisions by setting the level of the fee in statute without regard to individual city or county
costs.
Furthermore, the Governor's Office of Planning and Research has just released their
California Solar Permitting Guidebook, which provides local governments and solar contractors
information and strategies to improve the permitting process. The Guidebook will enable local
governments to improve their permitting processes which will result in more solar energy
generation in California communities and expand the benefits provided by this form of
renewable energy. This effort will help improve the overall process statewide and is another
reason why SB 1222 is not needed.
incerely,
( '44- flA�
YJ9& Marx
L,Mayor
cc: City Council
Katie Lichtig
David Mullinax, Regional Representative, League of California Cities