Cities like Seal Beach used to charge about $550 in fees, on average, for residents who installed panels on their homes, which included a plan check and inspections.
After appeals by a handful of residents, members quickly decided to absorb the costs.
“It may not change the world, but it will make a statement,” resident Robert Goldberg said.
Seal Beach is now one of eight Orange County cities to offer free solar, including Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa and Santa Ana, according to a report from the Sierra Club.
The waived fees apply only to single-family homes with a roof area of about 320 square feet.
City officials estimate the city will lose about $3,000 in revenue a year, which Councilman Michael Levitt said is a small price to pay.
“We’re getting very cheap publicity as being a city that cares about the environment,” he said.
In 2008 the city had nine applications for solar installations, and resident Mike Buhbe said dropping the fees could encourage more residents to be energy efficient.
“It will obviously reduce the cost and $500 might be the amount of money that just tips somebody over the edge,” he said.
Buhbe paid about $20,000 in April to install a large system on his one-story Old Town home. He said he expects his system to pay for itself in about 16 years, maybe sooner if energy costs continue to rise.
“I just wanted to be a responsible citizen and reduce my Co2 output,” he said. “I’m doing what I can to reduce air pollution.”
Buhbe said his electricity bill is at zero since he installed his system, and the initial cost of going green will be well worth it in the future.
“You don’t have to go with a large system to zero out your bill,” he said. “If you can afford a low-priced car, you can afford to put solar on your roof.”
Larger residences, such as apartment complexes, and businesses still have to pay fees based on project size and undergo rigorous inspections by the Orange County Fire Authority.
Seal Beach has seen two commercial applications in three years for solar panels, including a 4,000-square-foot system installed at Kohl’s at 12000 Seal Beach Blvd.
The average fee for installing solar in Orange County is $426 for each resident. Los Alamitos, Placentia and Dana Point have the highest permit fees, charging more than $900, according to the Sierra Club’s report.
Orange County has the lowest fees for residents in unincorporated areas looking to go solar, charging $16 for each resident.
Read more about solar fees Orange County, or use the free solar estimate tool with no obligation to see how much it will cost to put solar on your home.
