Baldwin Park, CA Solar Energy: Expedited Solar Permitting (2026)

Chapter 156, adopted to comply with the Solar Rights Act and AB 2188, requires the Building Department to run an administrative, nondiscretionary review process for small residential rooftop solar systems, defined at § 156.03 as systems no larger than 10 kilowatts AC or 30 kilowatts thermal installed on one- and two-family R3 homes. Under § 156.07(A), an application meeting the city's adopted checklist and standard plan must receive a building permit or other nondiscretionary permit no later than five working days from submittal. Review under § 156.07(B) is limited to whether the applicant meets local, state and federal health and safety requirements; a Building Official may instead require a use permit only upon substantial evidence the system could have a specific, adverse impact on public health and safety, and that use-permit denial requires written findings that there is no feasible method to mitigate the impact, appealable under § 150.011.

Section 156.07(G)-(H) caps expedited review at a single required inspection, to be scheduled within two business days of a request with a two-hour inspection window; repeated failed inspections or restricted site access can trigger re-inspection fees under § 156.07(I). Section 156.06 requires the city to post all application documents online, accept electronic submittal and electronic signatures, and align its checklist with the Governor's Office of Planning and Research's California Solar Permitting Guidebook. Fees must comply with Cal. Gov't Code §§ 65850.55 and 66015 and Cal. Health & Safety Code § 17951, and are set by City Council resolution under § 156.08.