Southampton, NY Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

Section 123-39.2A requires commercial-scale solar applicants to obtain site plan or special exception approval from the Planning Board under §§ 330-183 and 330-162.24 before a building permit can issue; only small-scale solar in commercial zones or municipal settings may qualify for a lighter administrative review under § 330-183.1 instead. Once that land-use approval is in hand, § 123-39.2B(2) requires the system itself to be designed, erected and installed under the NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, the NYS Energy Conservation Code, and all relevant sections of the Town Code, with access for maintenance and snow removal kept clear, required working-space clearances maintained, and weatherproof electrical enclosures rated for their exposure under NFPA 70.

Antireflective coating is mandatory on all panels to control glare. Section 123-39.2C requires proof of adequate liability insurance before a building permit is issued, and § 123-39.2D treats a system as abandoned once it stops operating for a year; if unsafe conditions are then found, the Town can order the owner to remove the panels and equipment and restore the site to its prior condition. The Town also keeps a database, under § 123-39.2E, of installations paired with battery storage to share with first responders. These commercial-scale standards sit alongside the residential fast-track rules in § 123-39.1, which apply only to smaller roof-mounted, owner-occupied systems.