SUBJECT: CONSENT AGENDA
Title
Letter of Intent from the Town of Erie regarding Commitment to Become a SolSmart-designated Community
Body
DEPARTMENT: Public Works
PRESENTER: Tyler Kesler, Sustainability & Water Conservation
Specialist
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends Mayor Carroll sign the letter of intent/Solar Statement expressing the Town’s commitment to work with SolSmart to make it faster, easier, and more affordable for Erie residents and businesses to install solar energy systems.
Recommendation
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER: SolSmart, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, and coordinated by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), is a national designation program designed to recognize communities that have taken key steps to address local barriers to solar energy and foster the growth of mature local solar markets. SolSmart has certified and offered technical support at no cost to over 350 cities nationwide. The goal is to achieve local solar goals through improving permitting, planning, zoning, and development regulations and processes. Town staff want to achieve at least a first-year Bronze Certification after SolSmart completes a baseline evaluation, and then incrementally improve through coordination with the Planning Department, Facilities, Public Works, and efforts from the Sustainability Advisory Board. These efforts demonstrate the Town of Erie is committed to making it easier, and more cost effective for builders, homeowners and businesses to install solar systems and to drive continuous improvement in the local solar market. This action is consistent with and advances all the related areas identified as community priorities in the Town’s Sustainability Master Plan and Energy Action Plan.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Letter of Intent/Solar Statement