[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: RE: Solar Access Ordinance Study

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Weaver, Sam

Mr. Rubin,

I have taken a quick look at your analysis, and there are many potential flaws in your methodology.  Of most concern to me, however, are your policy prescriptions.  You mention changing the shading analysis to only include south-facing roofs that would otherwise be unshaded.  Solar heating and power systems are currently installed routinely on all roof facings except for north.  In addition, passive solar designs routinely include solar heating of building walls which would not be included in the permit studies you have presented.  Finally, residents may trim or remove trees that shade potential current rooflines and/or add legal ADUs or OAUs, which could be affected by your suggestion to not consider shading on the sides of buildings or lot areas.

Boulder has one of the earliest and most useful solar access ordinances in the nation, and any analysis should include the issues mentioned above.  While I expect that the current ordinances might be somewhat improved, Council has a lot of issues on our legislative plate at the moment, and weakening our solar access standards is not one of our current Council priorities, and particularly not one of mine.

I am including our HOTLINE followers on this response, as I would like to hear from any interested citizens who might want to know about your proposal and analysis, which I have attached.

All the best,

Sam Weaver
Member of Boulder City Council
weavers at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:weavers at bouldercolorado.gov>
Phone: 303-416-6130

From: FRED P [mailto:fredprubin at msn.com]
Sent: Saturday, July 09, 2016 4:13 PM
To: Council <Council at bouldercolorado.gov>; Brautigam, Jane <BrautigamJ at bouldercolorado.gov>
Cc: Trice, Chris <Tricec at bouldercolorado.gov>
Subject: Solar Access Ordinance Study

To All:

Over the past several months I have undertaken a study of the efficacy of a portion of the Solar Access Ordinance that was adopted more than 25 years ago. The portion examined was the requirement to “protect” the walls and grounds of a property that might be effected by the construction of an adjacent residence. The results of my study informs that these protections, that have no doubt had their effect on the design of hundreds if not thousands of homes in Boulder are in fact, “groundless.”

I am providing you with this study in hopes that you will modify the current ordinance in such a manner to reflect that the protection of the walls and grounds of an adjacent property have ONLY effected the property being built and that those restrictions on the freedom of design are over-reaching restrictions without justification.

I understand that government is loathe to undue approved ordinances and would rather spend the time passing new ones. But this is a clear example of an ordinance that has had a negative effect on many people in Boulder with no benefit to anyone else.

Please review the attached information and take the time to correct the terms of the Solar Access Ordinance.

Sincerely,

Fred Rubin,
Architect
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