Amendment #355 to H4879

Rooftop Solar Ordinances & Bylaws

Representatives Lewis of Framingham, Connolly of Cambridge, Gouveia of Acton, Robinson of Framingham and Sabadosa of Northampton move to amend the bill in Section 18, in line 1035, by adding after subsection (4) the following new subsection:

(5) zoning ordinances or bylaws, or amendments thereto, that require new construction to include a rooftop solar energy system or a substitute renewable energy system. A city or town may adopt said zoning ordinances or bylaws, provided that (a) a developer may seek an exemption for a building that has an insufficient rooftop solar resource, or where it is not technically or economically feasible to install rooftop solar panels or a substitute renewable energy system; (b) a developer may seek an exemption for an affordable housing development;(c) a developer may seek an exemption for a building with a solar hot water heater, to the extent that the installation of a solar hot water heater reduces the portion of the roof available for a rooftop solar energy system; and (d) the ordinance or bylaw establishes rooftop solar requirements that are appropriate for each type of building, where such types shall include residential and commercial buildings and may include more specific designations by height, square footage, number of units, use, or other criteria. For the purposes of this paragraph, a rooftop solar energy system shall mean a system installed on the roof of a building that uses solar energy to provide all or a portion of the electrical needs of a residential or commercial building; a solar hot water heater shall mean any system that uses solar energy to heat water for use in a residential or commercial building; and a substitute renewable energy system shall mean any system that uses renewable energy resources other than solar energy to provide all or a portion of the electrical energy needs of a residential or commercial building; provided, that a substitute renewable energy system shall use a technology eligible for the renewable portfolio standard under subsection (c) of section 11F of chapter 25A of the General Laws.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #355 to H4879

Rooftop Solar Ordinances & Bylaws