Homeowners within historic and conservation districts are frustrated because they can’t install solar panels without an expensive review.
Homeowners within historic and conservation districts are frustrated because they can’t install solar panels without an expensive review.
That brings up costs for an industry already struggling with high costs.
According to city code, any street-facing solar system installed within a historic or conservation district must first be approved by the city’s Historic Landmarks Commission, a process that costs approximately $1,300.
The rules, though troublesome for homeowners, are important for preservation of neighborhoods’ historic character, according to Art DeMuro, chairman of Portland’s Historic Landmarks Commission and president of Venerable Properties. Modern solar photovoltaic systems clearly conflict with historic architecture, DeMuro said, and potential energy savings shouldn’t justify changes to design guidelines put into place by these neighborhoods, and in some cases, the National Register of Historic Places.
Read more at the Daily Journal of Commerce.
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