CITYWIDE — Councilmember Lincoln Restler on Tuesday introduced a bill to ease city regulations on the installation of solar panels on small buildings, something that is currently difficult for many homeowners because the fire code restricts the amount of available space on rooftops. This legislation will reduce the width of required rooftop clearance pathways and allow for adjoining buildings to be consolidated for the purposes of complying with the code, in order to make it feasible for more small buildings to install solar panels and start reaping the benefits of clean energy.
There are generous incentives for homeowners who install solar, including federal and state tax credits, property tax abatements, and lower energy bills; most recently, the Biden administration extended residential solar tax credits, along with other incentives for green technologies, in the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022.
