San Jacinto, CA Solar Energy: Expedited Solar Permitting (2026)

Section 17.430.330 of the San Jacinto Municipal Code creates an expedited, streamlined solar permitting process in the City of San Jacinto, Riverside County, California. It is written to comply with the Solar Rights Act as amended by AB 2188 (Chapter 521, Statutes 2014), and it states the goal of timely and cost-effective installations by removing unreasonable barriers and minimizing costs to property owners and the City.

Eligibility is defined by the code. A small residential rooftop solar energy system is no longer than 10 kilowatts alternating current nameplate rating or 30 kilowatts thermal, conforms to all applicable state fire, structural, electrical and other building codes as adopted or amended by the City, is installed on a single or duplex family dwelling, and has a panel or module array that does not exceed the maximum legal building height as defined by the City. The code also lets applicants use electronic submittal, defined as email, the Internet, or facsimile.

The approval standard is the heart of the fast track. An application whose primary purpose is the collection, storage and distribution of solar energy is approved administratively through a nondiscretionary permit unless the Director determines, based on substantial evidence, that the system could have a specific adverse impact. That term means a significant, quantifiable, direct and unavoidable impact based on objective, identified and written public health or safety standards, policies or conditions as they existed on the date the application was deemed complete. If the application has structural features or alterations not primarily for solar, those can require discretionary approval first. The Director's decision to require a use permit can be appealed to the Planning Commission.

Denial of a use permit requires written findings based on substantive evidence that the installation would have a specific, adverse impact on public health or safety with no feasible method to mitigate or avoid it, and that decision can also be appealed to the Planning Commission. Any condition must be designed to mitigate the impact at the lowest possible cost. The Director can modify the placement standards if they would significantly raise cost or lower efficiency: for solar water or pool heating, more than 10 percent of system cost or efficiency; for photovoltaic systems, an amount over $1,000 or an efficiency decrease exceeding 10 percent.