Are High Fees Stifling Solar Power in Sierra Madre?

A report released Monday by the Sierra Club shows that Sierra Madre is charging fees for the installation of solar panels that are among the highest in Los Angeles County.

The report shows that the permit fees charged by the city for rooftop photovoltaic systems on commercial buildings are particularly high, relative to the other 89 Southern California cities included in the survey.

In fact, at a cost of $37,349 per 131 kilowatt commercial system, Sierra Madre currently has the third highest fee of all the cities surveyed, topped by only Inglewood and Rolling Hills Estates.

For 3 kilowatt residential systems, Sierra Madre charges $515, just $3 above the average of the cities surveyed.

A PDF of the Sierra Club report, including all 89 cities surveyed, is attached to this article.

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