City Drops Fees for Installing Solar Panels at Homes, Businesses

Residents and business owners in San Juan Capistrano will no longer be charged permit and inspection fees for installing solar panels and charging stations for their electric cars, the City Council decided Tuesday night.

According to Grant Taylor, San Juan Capistrano development director, the city collected about $7,000 in such fees last year. "It's not costing us an arm and a leg, and it would be nice to be more green," said Councilwoman Laura Freese.

The council did approve the addition of new permit fees and some increases, which one city staffer called minor and routine. (A chart outlining the changes is below this article). The changes are effective July 1.

Although Councilman Derek Reeve supported waiving fees for solar panels and charging stations, he said he did not support the other fee increases. He was the lone dissenting vote for the change in the fee schedule.

In January 2010, the council voted to set the fees at $350 for single family homes—reduced from $1,050–and $700 for businesses—reduced from $1,500.

Reeve also voted against asking staffers to bring back for approval at a future meeting

Last summer, the council began offering 75 percent discounts on sewer, water and traffic impact fees to hotel and auto dealership developers between July 31, 2010,  and July 31, 2011.

"We were very successful," Freese said. "We , another one and three car dealership are coming to town."

A representative from Capistrano Tuttle Click Capistrano Ford asked the council Tuesday night to extend those discounts for six months, allowing it time to wrap up design of its new facility on Camino Capistrano (next to its current, temporary location) and take advantage of the discounts.

New Fee Schedule:

Correction: This article correctly identifies the new fee for replacing downtown employee parking passes.