Parker, CO Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

Parker Municipal Code Table 13.04.G, adopted under § 13.04.230(e)(2)a, lists rooftop solar equipment among the authorized exceptions to the Town's building height limits: a solar installation on a roof may extend up to 7.5 feet above the maximum height requirement that would otherwise apply to that zoning district, without triggering a Variance. That same table caps mechanical equipment and required screening at 10 feet above the height limit and architectural features like domes or spires at 20 feet or 20 percent above the limit, whichever is less restrictive, so solar gets its own dedicated allowance rather than being lumped in with general rooftop equipment.

Separately, § 13.08.090(m) requires most electrical and mechanical equipment, ductwork, and power systems on a site to be screened from view, but § 13.08.090(m)(2)b.3 carves out solar arrays and solar energy collection systems from that screening mandate to the extent the required screening would interfere with the panels' ability to collect energy. Both exceptions sit inside the Land Development Ordinance's zoning district and development standards chapters, so they apply regardless of whether the installation is on a single-family home, a multifamily building, or a commercial site.

A solar installation still needs a building permit through Community Development and must meet the currently adopted International Building Code and National Electric Code amendments in Title 11 before installation, and any rooftop array beyond the 7.5-foot allowance would need a Variance under § 13.03.040.