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Planning and Building Department, Building Services Division, recommending the Board:
1) Accept a grant award from the California Energy Commission for the California Automated Permit Processing Program in the amount of $80,000 for a term upon execution through May 31, 2027; and
2) Delegate authority to the Planning and Building Department Director to execute the Grant Agreement and all grant-related documents including, but not limited to, amendments that do not require a County match, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management, requests for payment, reports, and all associated documents necessary to secure grant funds and implement the approved grant program.
FUNDING: California Automated Permit Processing Program Grant Funds.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Senate Bill 129 (Skinner, Budget Act of 2021) appropriated $20 million in funding to the California Energy Commission (CEC) and established the CalAPP program to establish a non-competitive funding program. This program assists local governments in California with establishing and implementing an online, automated permitting platform that verifies code compliance and issues permits in real time for a solar energy permit.
In 2022, Senate Bill 379 passed requiring most cities and counties to adopt an automated online permitting platform for standard residential solar and storage systems. Cities and Counties with more than 50,000 residents must adopt an online permitting platform by September 30, 2023.
The CalAPP Program grant funding is intended to encourage cities and counties to further enhance permitting processes and accelerate processing and turnaround times, particularly regarding plan review. Overall, funding is intended to promote the development of residential solar and solar-plus-storage systems, greatly decreasing approval times, cutting permitting costs for local governments and homeowners, and helping California meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction goals throug...
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