San Dimas City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 18
168 ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SYSTEMS
§ 18.168.010 Purpose.
The conservation of energy and the development of alternative energy sources are primary goals of this nation, and the city council has adopted ordinances to encourage energy conservation in new development.
It is now financially feasible and cost effective to provide for the installation of alternative energy systems in certain developments and for certain purposes.
It is therefore the purpose of this chapter to establish requirements for the installation of alternative energy systems.
As it is the policy of the city to encourage development of alternative energy systems, nothing contained in this title shall be interpreted to unreasonably restrict solar energy systems by significantly increasing the cost or decreasing the efficiency of such systems or prohibiting alternative energy systems of comparable cost and efficiency.
(Ord. 37 § 760, 1961; Ord. 750 § 3, 1981)
§ 18.168.020 Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
means the application of any technology, the conservation of energy, or the use of solar, biomass, wind, geothermal, hydroelectricity under twenty-five megawatts, or any other source of energy, the efficient use of which will reduce the use of fossil and nuclear fuels.
means a system which utilizes the structural elements of a building to provide for the collection, storage or distribution of heating or cooling. In semi-passive thermal systems such structural elements may be augmented by mechanical components.
means the integrated use of equipment, including solar collectors, to collect and transform solar energy into thermal, chemical or electrical energy to transfer and distribute such energy for purposes of water heating, space heating or cooling and power generation.
(Ord. 37 § 761, 1961; Ord. 750 § 3, 1981)
§ 18.168.030 Required when.
After the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, all new residential development in the city, including each multiple-family building and each single-family dwelling unit, shall be provided with an alternative energy system to provide domestic hot water. An alternative energy system shall also be provided for heating any swimming pool constructed for a multiple-family building or in a residential planned development ("RPD"). The capacity and efficiency of such alternative energy systems shall conform to standards which are consistent with the intent of this chapter. Solar energy shall be primary energy system unless other alternative energy systems are demonstrated to be of equivalent capacity and efficiency.
§ 18.168.040 Orientation of units.
To the greatest extent possible, all subdivisions and lots therein, all dwelling units and all residential buildings and structures shall be oriented in a southerly direction to promote the use of a solar energy system, and shall be designed to promote passive thermal systems and alternative energy systems. To carry out the foregoing, lots and buildings shall be oriented with due consideration for local climate (including sun orientation), parcel configuration, contours, landscaping, cost and other design and improvement requirements contained in the general plan and this title.
(Ord. 37 § 763, 1961; Ord. 750 § 3, 1981)
§ 18.168.050 Solar easements.
A.
Developers of all new residential subdivisions shall dedicate easements for the purpose of assuring that each lot or dwelling unit shall have the right to receive sunlight across adjacent lots or units for use of a solar energy system. The easements may be contained in a declaration of restrictions for the subdivision which shall be recorded concurrently with the recordation of the final map or issuance of permits, whichever occurs first.
B.
The easements shall prohibit the casting of shadows by vegetation, structures, fixtures or any other object, except for utility wires and similar objects upon areas which have been designated for solar energy collectors pursuant to the approved development plan (Chapter 18.12). The instrument creating the solar easement shall include a description of the dimensions of the easement expressed in measurable terms, such as vertical or horizontal angles measured in degrees, or the hours of the day on specified dates during which direct sunlight to the solar collector, device or structural design feature may not be obstructed, or a combination of these descriptions, as approved by the director of planning and the city attorney. The director of planning and the city attorney shall determine from the form of the most appropriate legal description based upon the size and nature of the project, topography, existing vegetation, design of parcels and necessary specificity of legal description. Solar easements shall not reduce allowable densities or lot coverage requirements set forth in this title, and shall not be required of projects consisting solely of converting an existing building for condominium purposes where no new structures are added.
(Ord. 37 § 764, 1961; Ord. 750 § 3, 1981)
§ 18.168.060 Prohibition on casting of shadows.
No person owning or in control of property shall allow a tree or shrub to be placed, or, if placed, to grow on such property, subsequent to the installation of a solar collector on the property of another so as to cast a shadow greater than ten percent of the collector absorption area upon that solar collector surface on the property of another at any one time between the hours of ten a.m. and two p.m.; provided that this section shall not apply to specific trees or shrubs which at the time of installation of a solar collector or during the remainder of that annual solar cycle cast a shadow upon that solar collector. Each and every violation of this section shall be an infraction punishable by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars and shall be subject to abatement as a public nuisance in accordance with the provisions of Section 25983 of the Government Code and Sections 370 and 371 of the Penal Code.
(Ord. 37 § 765, 1961; Ord. 750 § 3, 1981)
§ 18.168.070 Approval process.
A.
The development plan for every residential building or structure submitted to the planning division in accordance with Chapter 18.12 shall satisfy the requirements of this chapter. Any such development plan shall be reviewed and acted upon by the review authority in accordance with and subject to all procedures, requirements, findings, and considerations contained in Chapter 18.12.
B.
The review authority pursuant to Chapter 18.12 of this title may require roof pitch and directional alignment of buildings for the placement of solar energy collecting devices. The review authority may specify a range of permissible roof pitches and directional alignments which will optimize efficiency of solar energy systems.
C.
To achieve the intent of this chapter, the review authority pursuant to Chapter 18.12 of this title in reviewing any development plan shall consider skylights, operable windows, thermal mass, landscaping, reduction of mechanical systems for lighting, heating, cooling and ventilation, and other design elements.
D.
Ground-mounted solar energy systems shall comply with building and setback regulations and shall be set back not less than five feet from the property line and no less than ten feet above the ground. A collector may be less than ten feet in height only if, in addition to the five-foot setback, the collector is set back three times the amount lowered.