Chapter 15.17

SMALL RESIDENTIAL ROOFTOP SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM PERMITTING

The ordinance codified in this chapter is hereby adopted by reference as "Small Residential Solar PV Permitting" for the city of Palm Desert, and from the date on which the ordinance codified in this chapter shall take effect, the provisions thereof shall be controlling within the corporate limits of the city of Palm Desert.

(Ord. 1439, 1/8/2026)

The purpose of this chapter is to provide for an expedited, streamlined solar permitting process that complies with the Solar Rights Act, including California Civil Code Section 714 and California Government Code Section 65850.5, as amended, and as outlined in the California Solar Permitting Guidebook. This action provides timely and cost-effective installations of small residential rooftop solar energy systems. This chapter encourages the use of solar systems by removing unreasonable barriers, minimizing costs to property owners and the city of Palm Desert, and expanding the ability of property owners to install solar energy systems. This chapter allows the city of Palm Desert to achieve these goals while protecting the public health and safety.

(Ord. 1439, 1/8/2026)

The following words and phrases as used in this chapter are defined as follows:

"Electronic submittal" means the utilization of one or more of the following:

1. E-mail.

• Internet or jurisdictional permitting software.

• Facsimile.

"Small residential rooftop solar energy system" means all the following:

1. A solar energy system that is no larger than ten kilowatts alternating current nameplate rating or thirty kilowatts thermal.

2. A solar energy system that conforms to all applicable state fire, structural, electrical, and other building codes as adopted or amended by the city and paragraph (iii) of subdivision (c) of Section714 of the Civil Code, as such section or subdivision may be amended, renumbered, or redesignated from time to time.

• A solar energy system that is installed on a single or duplex family dwelling.

4. A solar panel or module array that does not exceed the maximum legal building height as defined by the city of Palm Desert.

"Solar energy system" has the same meaning set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 801.5 of the Civil Code, as such section or subdivision may be amended, renumbered, or redesignated from time to time.

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City of Palm Desert, CA

PALM DESERT CODE

§ 15.17.030

§ 15.17.040

• (Ord. 1439, 1/8/2026)

• A. Section 65850.5 of the California Government Code provides that, on or before September 30, 2015, every city, county, or city and county shall adopt an ordinance that creates an expedited, streamlined permitting process for small residential rooftop solar energy systems.

• B. Section 65850.5 of the California Government Code provides that in developing an expedited permitting process, the city, county, or city and county shall adopt a checklist of all requirements with which small rooftop solar energy systems shall comply to be eligible for expedited review. The building official is hereby authorized and directed to develop and adopt such checklist. As required by Section 65850.5, the small residential rooftop solar energy system permit process to be adopted by the building official, including the standard plan(s), and checklist(s), shall substantially conform to recommendations for expedited permitting contained in the most current version of the California Solar Permitting Guidebook adopted by the Governor's Office of Planning and Research.

• C. The checklist shall be published on the city's Internet website. The applicant may submit the permit application and associated documentation to the City's Permitting Center in person, mailed, or electronic submittal together with any required permit processing and inspection fees. In the case of electronic submittal, the electronic signature of the applicant on all forms, applications and other documentation may be used in lieu of a wet signature.

• D. Prior to submitting an application, the applicant shall:

  1. Verify to the applicant's reasonable satisfaction and through the use of standard engineering evaluation techniques that the support structure for the small residential rooftop solar energy system is stable and adequate to transfer all wind, seismic, and dead and live loads associated with the system to the building foundation; and

  2. At the applicant's cost, verify to the applicant's reasonable satisfaction using standard electrical inspection techniques that the existing electrical system including existing line, load, grounding and bonding wiring, as well as main panel and subpanel sizes, are adequately sized, based on the existing electrical system's current use, to carry all new photovoltaic electrical loads.

• E. For a small residential rooftop solar energy system eligible for expedited review, only one inspection shall be required, which shall be done in a timely manner and may include a consolidated inspection by the building official and Fire Chief. If a small residential rooftop solar energy system fails inspection, a subsequent inspection is authorized; however, the subsequent inspection need not conform to the requirements of this subsection.

• F. An application that satisfies the information requirements in the checklist, as determined by the building official, shall be deemed complete. Upon receipt of an incomplete application, the building official shall issue a written correction notice detailing all deficiencies in the application and any additional information required to be eligible for expedited permit issuance.

• G. Upon confirmation by the building official of the application and supporting documentation being complete and meeting the requirements of the checklist, the building

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City of Palm Desert, CA

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

§ 15.17.040

§ 15.17.050

official shall, in a timely manner, administratively approve the application and issue all required permits or authorizations. Such approval does not authorize an applicant to connect the small residential rooftop energy system to the local utility provider's electricity grid. The applicant is responsible for obtaining such approval or permission from the local utility provider.

• H. A city, county, or city and county shall not condition approval for any solar energy system permit on the approval of a solar energy system by an association, as that term is defined in Section 4080 of the Civil Code.

• (Ord. 1439, 1/8/2026)

The city council of the city of Palm Desert hereby declares that should any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this chapter or the code hereby adopted is, for any reason, held to be unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of the ordinance codified in this chapter. The city council of the city of Palm Desert hereby declares that it would have passed the ordinance codified in this chapter, and each section, subsection, clause, or phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, and phrases be declared unconstitutional. (Ord. 1439, 1/8/2026)

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City of Palm Desert, CA

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

§ 15.18.010

§ 15.18.010