Farmers Branch revisits solar-ready and EV-ready policy options as SolSmart and permitting issues surface

Committee members discussed options to increase rooftop solar and EV readiness in new buildings, and staff described steps already taken to reduce permitting "soft costs" as part of the SolSmart effort.

Alex told the committee staff already tracks solar installations through Encore and is seeing an increase in installations. "Not right now, because I get the solar data through Encore. I think the battery, I would have to get internally through city permits," Alex said, when asked whether staff could separate systems with batteries from solar-only installs.

The committee revisited prior attempts to require solar-ready features in new builds. Members recalled developer pushback when the city previously proposed stronger solar-ready standards, and Alex said the policy was adjusted in response. The prior approach included requirements such as sufficient uninterrupted roof space facing appropriate azimuths and labeling of breaker capacity for future solar connections; it also required a conduit runway for later installation.

On permitting, Alex said the city has a three-day permit turnaround target for solar permits and that the fee schedule is lower than recommended best-practice benchmarks, steps intended to reduce the non-equipment portion of solar install costs. Alex also told the committee an automatic permitting app used in some jurisdictions would not be cost-effective for Farmers Branch given the city’s volume.

Why it matters: building and permitting rules can influence the pace of rooftop solar and EV charging readiness, affecting household energy costs and emissions over time.

Next steps: staff will continue tracking solar and EV metrics, investigate battery permit data, and reassess whether targeted building-code changes (for example, solar-ready requirements for new construction) would be appropriate given local development patterns and council appetite.