Lake Forest Municipal Code Art. VII Use Permit

A. If a use permit is required, the Director may deny an application for the use permit if the Director makes written findings based upon substantive evidence in the record that the proposed installation would have a specific, adverse impact upon public health or safety and there is no feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid, as defined, the adverse impact.

B. Such findings shall include the basis for the rejection of the potential feasible alternative for preventing the adverse impact.

C. Such decision may be appealed to the Planning Commission.

(Ord. 277 § 1, 2015)

Any condition imposed on an application shall be designed to mitigate the specific, adverse impact upon health and safety at the lowest possible cost.

A feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific, adverse impact includes, but is not limited to, any cost-effective method, condition, or mitigation imposed by the City on another similarly situated application in a prior successful application for a permit. The City shall use its best efforts to ensure that the selected method, condition, or mitigation does not significantly increase the cost of the system or decrease its efficiency or specified performance in excess of the following:

1. For water heater systems or solar swimming pool heating systems: an amount exceeding 10% of the cost of the system, but in no case more than $1,000, or decreasing the efficiency of the solar energy system by an amount exceeding 10%, as originally specified and proposed.

2. For photovoltaic systems: an amount not to exceed $1,000 over the system cost as originally specified and proposed, or a decrease in system efficiency of an amount exceeding 10% as originally specified and proposed.

(Ord. 277 § 1, 2015)