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