Tonawanda, NY Solar Energy: Expedited Solar Permitting (2026)

Section 54-5.F(8), added by Local Law No. 4-2017 on July 10, 2017, requires that for all small-scale solar energy installations the Town use the New York State Unified Solar Permit Application as the permit form, rather than a locally drafted application. That requirement sits inside § 54-5.F, the subsection governing every building and plumbing permit application in the town: an application otherwise must include a description of the proposed work, the Tax Map number and street address, the occupancy classification of the affected building, at least two sets of construction documents prepared by a licensed architect or engineer where required, a site plan showing existing and proposed structures and their distances from lot lines where applicable, and the fee due under § 54-20.

Because the state form is standardized, a solar installer files the same paperwork across participating municipalities rather than a Town-specific application, and the Code Enforcement Officer created under § 54-4 still examines the completed application within 60 days under § 54-5.I to confirm the installation complies with the Uniform Code and Energy Code before issuing the permit. Rooftop-mounted solar collectors on a residential lot must also stay entirely within the limits of the building roof under the Town's zoning code for solar energy systems, and any related ground-mounted equipment in the rear yard is subject to the accessory-structure setbacks for the district.