(1) An application for a small residential rooftop solar energy system permit that the building department determines to satisfy the informational requirements contained in the city’s checklist as prepared by the building department pursuant to CMC 15.36.070(1) shall be deemed complete.

(2) Upon receipt of an incomplete application, the building department shall issue a written correction notice detailing all deficiencies in the application and any additional information required to be eligible for expedited issuance of a small residential rooftop solar energy system permit.

(3) Upon the building department’s determination that the application for a small residential rooftop solar energy system permit is complete, the building department shall issue a building permit or other nondiscretionary permit within three business days.

(4) The building department’s review of such applications for small residential rooftop solar energy system permits shall be limited to whether the application meets local, state, and federal health and safety requirements.

(5) The building official shall require an applicant to apply for a use permit, if he or she finds, based on substantial evidence, that the solar energy system could have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health and safety. Such decisions may be appealed to the planning commission.

(6) If a use permit or other discretionary city approval is required, the building official may not deny the application for the use permit unless he or she makes written findings based upon substantive evidence in the record that the proposed installation would have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety and there is no feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid such adverse impact. Such findings shall include the basis for the rejection of the potential feasible alternative for preventing the adverse impact. Such decision by the building official may be appealed to the planning commission.

(7) Any condition imposed on an application shall be designed to mitigate the specific, adverse impact upon health and safety at the lowest possible cost. The city shall ensure that the selected method, condition, or mitigation meets the conditions of Civil Code Sections 714(d)(1)(A) and (B).

(8) The city shall not condition approval of an application for the approval of an association, as defined in Civil Code Section 4080.

(9) Only one inspection shall be required and performed by the building department for small residential rooftop solar energy systems eligible for expedited review. Such an inspection will be scheduled within two business days of a request for such an inspection.

(10) If a small residential rooftop energy system fails the building department’s inspection, a subsequent inspection is authorized but need not conform to the requirements of this section. (Ord. 654 § 3, 2015).