Thurston County Neighborhoods Want More Sun

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Submitted by South Sound Solar

HOA’s Must Allow More Than They Know

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Solar panels are allowed by Washington State law in nearly all neighborhoods, including those with a HOA.

Solar installations in neighborhood association were rare. Until 2009 it was standard for neighborhoods’ covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&R’s) to prohibit solar installations. As incentives became available, more and more solar installations were popping up everywhere. So, in 2009, changes were made to Washington State law that allows solar to be installed, as long as it meets a few criteria, despite what the CC&R’s state. Though these changes to the CC&R laws have been in place for four years, not many Homeowners Associations (HOA’s) are aware of the new rules.

Toby Dubes of Future Earth Productions is hosting a workshop for members of HOAs’ and neighborhood boards and committees to explain what can be restricted and what is now allowed under Washington State law. The workshop is free and will be held at the New Market Skills Center in Tumwater, Sunday, July 14, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Future Earth Productions is a local Solar Installation Coordination and Consultation firm, and provide education and resource information to property owners interested in renewable energy. Their featured presenter for this Sunday’s workshop is Kirk Haffner, M.S.

Haffner is the founder,  president, and lead engineer of South Sound Solar in Olympia. He has a Master’s in Physics from the University of Washington, is an award-winning math and science teacher, and was a corporate engineering manager. Haffner will give a quick “Solar 101” seminar covering the basics of solar in Western Washington. For the rest of the class, he will give details on regulations for neighborhood solar installations.

“If you’re involved with your neighborhood organization, you should know the basics about solar power,” Haffner says. “Thurston County’s solar installations have increased by 50% annually. Sooner or later, your neighbors will want to generate solar power or install solar hot water heaters.”

The workshop will cover what kinds of changes have been made to solar technology and to the laws on solar installations. Haffner will cover what homeowners are allowed to do and what neighborhood associations have the power to prohibit. With the updated law, home owners can now mount solar panels facing the street or on historic homes. However, the HOA can make sure panels conform to the slope of the roof and not extend past the roof’s profile.

Haffner will go over the law line by line, explaining what criteria must be met and what systems must be allowed. “Each jurisdiction requires something a little different for solar permitting,” Haffner explains. “We will cover how to make sure that a system meets the proper safety, permitting, and certification requirements to be protected under the law.”

Haffner will also talk about what an HOA can restrict, and when to know if they should or shouldn’t. “The law has potential guidelines that the HOA can require, like shielding a system from view as long as it doesn’t hinder the performance of the system,” Haffner explains. “But how do you know if visual barrier will obstruct performance? While it must be looked at on a case-by-case basis, I’ll cover a few examples of properly designed visual shielding.”

South Sound Solar
South Sound Solar will offer a “Solar 101” seminar covering the basics of solar and details on regulations for neighborhood solar installations.

“My primary concern is that people understand what makes a solar installation legal,” Toby Dubes says. “HOA’s should have a basic idea of what permitting is required by the city or country. They should know what is meant by “certified installer.” And there are different restrictions for solar electric and solar hot water. None of this information is complicated, but it’s new. This is a chance to get ahead of the game

Haffner says, “No one wants to lower the value of a home. This affects not only the home owner, but the neighborhood as well. When the Washington Legislature updated the law, they did a good job. Not only do the changes protect property values, they help increase property values. Homeowners can move with the times, HOA’s can protect neighborhood curb appeal and a whole community benefits. There isn’t really a downside.”

For more information on Washington State’s 2009 updates on solar installations, read RCW 64.38.055. For more information about this workshop, please contact Toby Dubes at 360-951-4791 or info@FutureEarthProductions.org.

 

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