Maine's Solar Rights law (33 M.R.S. Ch. 28-A) overrides HOA and condo rules: a covenant, bylaw, or rule adopted after September 30, 2009 "may not prohibit" an owner from installing solar energy devices, though reasonable safety, historic, aesthetic, and shoreland restrictions survive.
Under 33 M.R.S. § 1421, "legal instrument" expressly includes "[r]ules, bylaws or regulations of an association of property owners, including but not limited to a homeowners association, unit owners association or condominium owners association." Section 1423(2) provides that such an instrument adopted after September 30, 2009 "may not prohibit a person from installing or using" a solar energy device on residential property the person owns. Section 1423(4) preserves "reasonable restrictions" needed to protect public health and safety, prevent building damage, protect "[h]istoric or aesthetic values, when an alternative of reasonably comparable cost and convenience is available," or comply with shoreland zoning. Section 1423(3) still lets an instrument bar devices on common elements of a condominium.
An HOA rule that flatly bans solar (adopted after 9/30/2009) is unenforceable to that extent. Owners can challenge a prohibition; reasonable, narrowly tailored restrictions remain valid.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Portland, ME
Portland does not prohibit residential artificial turf. The Landcare Ordinance (Chapter 34, Sec. 34-5(a)(4)(iii)) specifically carves out 'Hadlock Field appl...
Portland, ME
Portland's Landcare Ordinance (Chapter 34) explicitly references the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Natural Areas Program invasiv...
Portland, ME
Maine does not restrict private rainwater collection from rooftops, and Portland has no ordinance prohibiting rain barrels or cisterns. The city encourages r...
Portland, ME
Portland's Landcare Ordinance (Chapter 34) bans synthetic pesticides on virtually all public and private property, with the notable exception that prohibited...
Portland, ME
Portland Code Chapter 16 (Parks and Recreation) governs conduct in city parks but does not list a dedicated drone prohibition. Drone flights from or above pa...
Portland, ME
Portland has no separate commercial-drone permit. All commercial small UAS flights in the city (real estate, photography, inspection, surveying, delivery) ar...
See how Portland's hoa vs. city rules rules stack up against other locations.
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