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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: September 15, 2015 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 4-e <br /> SUBJECT: Orange County Resolution of Support for Small Solar <br /> DEPARTMENT: Asset Management Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Resolution of Support for Small Solar Brennan Bouma, 919-245-2626 <br /> PURPOSE: To adopt a resolution of support for small-scale residential solar arrays. <br /> BACKGROUND: Orange County is a leader in North Carolina in successfully developing and <br /> delivering alternative and more sustainable energy sources for County facilities and assets. <br /> Several adopted County goals and policies specifically support the development of renewable <br /> energy resources such as solar arrays, including the 2005 Environmental Responsibility Goal <br /> and the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. Recently in May of 2015, the Orange County Board of <br /> Commissioners showed further support of solar technologies by endorsing the development of a <br /> pilot solar photovoltaic system within its County facilities, beginning with the Rogers Road <br /> Community Center. <br /> In recent years, the cost of solar installations has fallen while their popularity has increased, for <br /> both small residential installations (5 kilowatts on average) and large-scale commercial <br /> installations. While both small and large solar arrays provide useful amounts of renewable <br /> electricity for Orange County residents and businesses, they create different land use impacts in <br /> the space they occupy and their visual appearance. Reflecting this difference in impact, and in <br /> an effort to further promote the development of small residential solar installations, Orange <br /> County has separated small solar installations of less than 20 kilowatts from the larger <br /> commercial installations in the permitting and review process. <br /> Changes in procedure like this help to encourage and facilitate the adoption of small solar <br /> installations by County residents. These efforts by County staff to facilitate adoption of this <br /> technology should be applauded and continued. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: Adoption of this resolution of support will have no financial impact. <br /> SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following two Orange County Social Justice Goals are <br /> applicable to this agenda item: <br /> • GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY <br /> The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs and funding necessary <br /> for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their <br /> dependents. <br />