Committee approves 40‑panel Sunrun installation at 121 Setauket Road after questions about visibility and shading

The Old Kings Highway Committee on April 28 approved application 25A043 to install 40 black-on-black solar panels on the front and rear roofs at 121 Setauket Road.

Steve Kelly of Sunrun Installation Services presented the project as a 40‑panel, roughly 16‑kilowatt system that includes five arrays; two of those arrays would be visible from Setauket Road. Kelly said the project takes advantage of a recent change in state or local rules allowing larger residential systems — he stated the system is over the prior 10‑kilowatt common threshold and is now allowed up to 25 kilowatts.

Committee members asked about shading and energy yield for the panels on the front roof. One committee member said the front arrays looked “questionable” because Google Earth imagery and SunCalc showed limited direct sunlight on the front elevation in mid‑summer. Kelly said Sunrun’s designers in California model azimuth and exposure and would not place panels that do not produce benefit; he also noted that modern panels are more powerful than older ones.

Members also discussed constraints that limit rear‑roof arrays: plumbing vents, chimney placements and the three‑foot clearance path that firefighters require from gutter to ridge, which restricts where panels can be mounted. The committee noted that Setauket Road in that section is not a designated scenic road and that the house sits set back from the street, which weighed in favor of approval.

After discussion the committee moved, seconded and approved application 25A043. The committee recorded the approval and reminded the applicant to coordinate with the building department for permits and to ensure compliance with fire‑service pathway requirements.