Solar Energy

The county's General Plan, though dating from 1994, includes a number of policies that directly address solar energy. In the Conservation and Open Space Element's section on Energy, policies include promoting alternative energy sources (Policy 5.17.1), designing structures for solar gain (Policy 5.17.2), encouraging and protecting maximum solar access siting in new development (Policy 5.17.3), and encouraging retrofit programs for energy conservation and renewable energy use (Policy 5.17.4). Related programs include establishing new performance standards for buildings addressing solar siting and orientation, solar access protections, and solar energy system performance; designing new county facilities to incorporate renewable energy systems where feasible; and exploring the feasibility of mandatory solar hot water and heating system requirements (programs d-g, i, l).

The Parks, Recreation, and Public Facilities element includes a section on energy facilities, with a policy to consider the development of municipal solar utilities and other solar financing mechanisms to increase public access to renewable energy sources and promote small-scale, decentralized local facilities (Policy 7.26.8).

The Community Design element includes an objective on building design that includes a policy of maintaining solar access and encouraging passive solar siting for all new development (Policy 8.6.7).