Larimer County, CO

Larimer County, Colorado earned SolSmart Silver designation by increasing access to information about solar installations for residents and businesses, installing solar PV on County-owned properties (including underutilized land), and distributing educational information about solar PV to local schools and colleges, among other achievements.

• Posted an online summary of state policies related to Homeowner Associations (HOAs) ability to regulate and/or restrict solar PV, including links to state-level policy
• Posted a solar landing page on local government’s website with information that may include the community’s solar goals, educational materials and tools that promote solar
• Posted online resources about residential and commercial solar PV financing options and incentives.
• Posted online resources about consumer protection and solar PV.
• Posted an online summary of state policies related to a property owners solar access and solar rights, including links to state level policy
• Posted online resources about solar installers and/or solar quote platforms for solar PV
• Distributed solar job training and career opportunities in coordination with local colleges and/or workforce development organizations
• Installed solar PV on local government facilities and/or local government-controlled land
• Conducted feasibility analysis for solar PV on local government facilities and/or local government-controlled land
• Installed solar PV on local government-controlled brownfields and/or under-utilized properties.
• Posted an online checklist detailing the required permit(s), submittals, and steps of the community’s permitting process for residential rooftop solar PV
• Demonstrated that residential permit fees for solar PV are $500 or less.
• Trained permitting & inspection staff on best practices for permitting solar PV and/or solar and storage systems
• Adopted a standard solar PV permit application form aligned with best practices
• Required no more than one permit application form for a small rooftop solar PV system
• Provided an online process for solar PV permit submission and approval.
• Provided an online process for solar PV inspection scheduling
• Reviewed zoning requirements and identify restrictions that intentionally or unintentionally prohibit solar PV development
• Codified in the zoning ordinance that accessory use rooftop solar PV is explicitly allowed by-right in all major zones.
• Ensured the zoning ordinance establishes a clear regulatory pathway for large-scale solar PV (e.g. through a special use permit or through inclusion among allowed conditional uses).
• Ensured the zoning ordinance permits small ground-mounted solar PV as an accessory use in at least one zoning district