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Committee backs bill to require smart permitting for residential solar; supporters tout speed, municipalities raise implementation concerns
Summary
The committee released A5264, a bill directing DCA to establish a state smart solar permitting platform to automate plan review and instantly issue permits for many residential solar installations, while allowing local jurisdictions to adopt comparable alternatives.
The committee favorably released A5264 after a long hearing featuring industry advocates, environmental groups and municipal officials who urged technical refinements.
The bill would require the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to establish and administer a state smart solar permitting platform within one year of the bill’s effective date. The platform would be required to automatically perform plan reviews for residential solar energy systems and instantly release permits or permit revisions for code‑compliant residential systems. The draft requires the platform to perform robust code compliance checks, produce construction documents, be designed to process about 75% of systems on the market, be available 24 hours a day, and allow electronic signatures. Local enforcing agencies would either accept applications…
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