Columbia County adopts C-PACE ordinance to enable third‑party clean‑energy loans

The Columbia County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted Ordinance No. 2025‑3 on second reading Wednesday, allowing the county to opt into a Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C‑PACE) loan program that will enable financing for energy efficiency, utility upgrades and seismic improvements on eligible commercial, multifamily and industrial properties.

Assistant County Counsel Edward McGlone explained the ordinance’s purpose before the vote: “The purpose of this ordinance is to establish a commercial property assessed clean energy loan program that would provide funding for multi family housing, commercial and industrial properties for utility improvements as well as seismic improvements.”

The ordinance, described in the reading as the “Columbia County C‑PACE ordinance,” does not create a county‑funded loan pool. McGlone told the board the county intends to “choose the option of operating it by facilitating loans from third parties rather than using the County loan funds,” and that staff are exchanging drafts of an intergovernmental agreement to govern program administration. He said a separate resolution setting out operational details will be presented to the board after the ordinance takes effect.

Commissioners moved and seconded adoption after the required second reading. There was no public testimony recorded during the ordinance portion of the meeting; the board voted in favor and the chair called the motion adopted. McGlone said the ordinance will not take effect for 90 days, giving staff time to finalize administrative documents; that 90‑day window would make the effective date Nov. 11, 2025.

By adopting the ordinance, Columbia County has authorized the local legal framework needed to participate in a C‑PACE program. McGlone noted the county will seek contractual or intergovernmental arrangements with a third‑party administrator (referred to in the hearing transcript as an IGA with “Colback”) to operate the program; the board will consider implementing documents and a resolution describing program mechanics before loans would begin.

Next steps recorded at the meeting: staff will continue to negotiate and finalize the IGA/administrative materials and present a resolution to the board with details about enrollment, eligible improvements and administrator responsibilities.

The ordinance was read by title on Aug. 13 and adopted on second reading; its effective date is 90 days after adoption unless otherwise amended by subsequent board action.