Williamstown OK's New Solar Power Permit Fees
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The Board of Selectmen on Monday night unanimously approved a new permit fee structure for the installation of photovoltaic systems.
"If you look at our current rate, it is $8 per $1,000 (of system cost). But in order to break even, the cost – if you're doing one kilowatt or a 10 kilowatts – is the same in terms of the service we must provide," said Michael Card, director of the town's Inspection Services.
Card, who had been asked to evaluate the permit fees by the board, said the town has to make several site inspections during the installation process and carries administrative costs in the paperwork and the issuing of permits.
"So we're asking for a minimum permit fee of $320. For more expensive and complicated systems, were asking for a surcharge of $4 per $1,000," he said.
The $320 would apply up to the first $40,000 of a system's price; the surcharge would kick in above that. For example, a $100,000 system would carry an permit cost of $560: $320 for the first $40,000 and $4 multiplied by 60, or $240, the price for the $60,000 balance.
Under the old fee system, the cost would be $800.
The fee would cover the mechanical end, such as installation, equipment, carpentry work and outbuildings related to the system.
A separate flat fee of $200 would apply to the permit for the actual electrical work to hook up the panels.
Card cautioned that photovoltaic technology is not yet a mature one and that prices for systems were "skewed" higher than they might be in the coming years making it difficult to rate the value of the electrical work.
The permit fees are based on cost estimates and not on actual experience, he said. "Because we're kind of in new terriotry I would like to suggest we come back after a year and review it."
The permits would not apply to photovoltaic systems being installed in new construction, he said.
"We are reviewing it all at the same time, doing the administrative work at the same time," he said. "We're out in the field doing inspections when these things are ready. So we rolled it into the cost of the new structure."
The new rates had come out of conversations with Selectwoman Jane Allen, a member of the town's COOL, or CO2 Lowering Committee, and Christopher Kilfoyle of Berkshire Photovoltaic Services, who had asked the board for a break in fees back in March.
Allen said Kilfoyle thought the new fee structure was very fair and that he believed Williamstown is the only community in the state with a separate category for photovoltaic systems.
The board approved the new fees and agreed it would be good to review them in a year.
In other business, the board:
- Approved the setting of parking violation fines at $15 at the request of Police Chief Kyle Johnson. Johnson said the difference between the $10 fines and $15 fines didn't make much sense. All were set at $15 with the exception of handicapped parking violations, which remained at $100.
- Approved a number of one-day alcohol licenses for graduation and reunion activities for Williams College.
- Approved a change of license transfer and type for Waubeeka Golf Links. The 190-acre course was purchased for $4.2 million by James Goff two weeks ago. Now operating as Waubeeka Golf Links LLC, the new ownership structure requires the course to operate under a restaurant, rather than a club, alcohol license.
- Approved a change in license for Red Herring, operating as Walden Culinary LLC, on Spring Street to allow it to provide alcohol to patrons using its patio area. Manager Edward Smith told the Selectmen he had been under the impression his license allowed outside service until noting it was limited to between 5 and 8 p.m. He asked that the hours be the same as those inside the restaurant – 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sundays and weeknights and 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturdays.
- Approved the installation of a utility pole by National Grid on Park Street to service an electrical upgrade to St. John's Church.
