Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solar Permitting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge council to remove extra PCDC review step for some rooftop solar approvals
Summary
Two residents told the City of Olivet council Aug. 26 that a Planning and Community Design Commission review requirement for certain rooftop solar installations adds delays that could jeopardize federal tax credits and frustrate homeowners.
Two Olivet residents asked the City Council Aug. 26 to remove what they called an added Planning and Community Design Commission (PCDC) review step for some rooftop solar installations.
What residents said: Stephanie Todd, 7 Heather Hill Lane, told the council she learned that if solar panels are placed on more than one roof plane of a house they must go to PCDC for approval; panels placed on a single large plane do not. Todd said the extra review can add at least two weeks and could jeopardize eligibility for an expiring federal tax credit. "I'm asking the city council to remove this extra approval by PCDC, like, immediately," she said.
Susan Koolhagen (spelled in the transcript as "Koolhagen"), 27 Forsythia Lane and a member of Olivet Sustainability Advocates, said she supported Todd’s request to streamline approvals so residents can take advantage of tax incentives and reduce fossil fuel use.
City response and context: In the transcript, the planning staff noted that electrical and building permits and inspections remain required for solar installations; the additional PCDC review step was described as a council‑directed procedural requirement when the commission first took up the topic. No council action removing the PCDC review was recorded on Aug. 26.
Next step: The speakers urged immediate action because the federal tax credit cited in public comment is time‑sensitive. The council did not take a formal vote at the Aug. 26 meeting on changing the review requirement.
