Orange County NC Website
<br /> <br /> 2 <br /> Ray asked the status of Duke Energy’s purported efforts to limit solar energy <br />installations by its customers. Pinder said it has not been a problem. <br /> <br /> Leath commended Pinder on helping communities to reduce costs. Pinder noted <br />the assessment is free, and 200 homes have signed up so far in Hillsborough. <br /> <br /> Davis asked if the historic commission would object to solar panels in the historic <br />district. Pinder said solar panels should be allowed on the back side of homes. <br /> <br /> O’Connor asked if Solarize Carrboro was still active. Newby asked if <br />Hillsborough’s Beckett’s Ridge community were eligible. Pinder said the program <br />is open to all county residents, and the more under contract the lower the cost. <br /> <br /> Welch asked if businesses could participate. Pinder said business may <br />participate, but this project is not intended for building commercial solar arrays. <br /> <br /> Sassaman asked what are the downsides to the program. Pinder said he could <br />not think of downsides, however he noted the solar panels degrade over time <br />and are warranted for 25 years. <br /> <br /> Hintz asked if Pinder had encountered any problems with local ordinances. <br />Pinder said many homeowner associations prohibit solar panels, however <br />Chapel Hill and Carrboro don’t allow new subdivisions to prohibit them. <br /> <br />Pinder said homeowners are being offered to sign up for a free assessment by <br />November 7, 2014. Assessments will be completed by January 9, 2015, and contracts <br />with homeowners are to be signed by February 13, 2015. <br /> <br />CFE members thanked Pinder and said they would help publicize the program. <br /> <br /> CFE Resolution – Diversion of Food Waste (unscheduled item) – Becker reminded <br />commission members of the CFE’s resolution concerning the diversion of food waste <br />from Orange County’s solid waste stream (November 2013). She noted the CFE has not <br />received a response from the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) nor from the <br />Solid Waste Management Department. Becker asked that the resolution be re-sent to <br />the BOCC for consideration and potential action. <br /> <br />Sassaman noted the BOCC recently appointed the Solid Waste Advisory Group <br />(SWAG)—a multijurisdictional task force charged with developing collaborative solutions <br />for solid waste issues in Orange County. He suggested the matter be forwarded to that <br />group or to the Solid Waste Management Department for developing a plan. Other <br />members felt it would be better for the BOCC to decide how to handle the matter. <br /> <br />Sassaman asked staff to locate the signed resolution and recirculate to CFE members <br />for their information and review. Becker motioned that the CFE review the resolution <br />and, if there were no major objections following that review, direct staff to send another <br />copy of the resolution to the BOCC for consideration and potential action. Hintz <br />seconded the motion. The motion was approved. <br /> <br />October 13 CFE Meeting (unscheduled item) – Shaw asked CFE members whether <br />they wanted to hold their scheduled October 13 meeting or to consider the October 11 <br />Environmental Summit as the October meeting. Sassaman asked CFE members and <br />staff if there were any pressing issues that would warrant holding the meeting. Hearing <br />none, Sassaman agreed to cancel the October 13 meeting. <br />