AGENDA #4g
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Implementation of the Million Solar Roofs Action Plan
DATE:
This report reviews the Million Solar Roofs Action Plan and recommends implementation steps. Steps would include applying for grant funding expected to be available.
The attached resolution authorizes the Million Solar Roofs Steering Committee to begin implementation of the Chapel Hill Million Solar Roofs Action Plan over the coming year, and authorizes staff assistance to the Committee. The attached ordinance would budget $5,000 for materials and contract assistance to carry out the Action Plan.
On
With the presentation of the Action Plan, the Steering Committee has completed two of its major tasks as charged in the resolution the Town Council adopted in February 2000. That resolution (please see Attachment 1) pledged the Town’s participation in the Million Solar Roofs Program, provided $6,000 to fund contract staff support, and called for establishing a Steering Committee to do the following:
· Assess the community's needs and programs that would be most suitable for meeting those needs, as well as available resources and existing barriers to solar development. (completed)
· Develop a draft Action Plan for Council consideration. (completed)
· Implement and monitor the Action Plan.
· Report to the Council quarterly for one year.
The Action Plan’s recommendations are organized based on the feasibility of implementation within a year – short-term recommendations – or whether an action would take longer – long-term recommendations – because of costs and other factors (please see Attachment 1). Short-term recommendations include actions such as providing a “solar resource center” at various public facilities in Town; establishing a design contest for incorporating solar technologies in an affordable housing project; presenting the Action Plan to local governments in the area; and developing a system for tracking progress on the 500-system goal. Long-term recommendations include installing a solar energy system on a highly visible public building; with the help of other local governments, hiring an “energy auditor/educator”; and pursing the approval of net metering at the State level.
The Steering Committee, which has not met since reviewing the final draft in June, had discussed continuing to meet over a year’s time in order to monitor implementation and report quarterly to the Council – as called for in the charge from the Council. Without additional funding, future meetings and completion of Action Plan recommendations would require staff support because the contract has expired with the consultant who was hired with the $6,000 provided by the Council’s February 14, 2000, budget amendment.
The reconvening of the Steering Committee would provide a mechanism for moving forward on the recommendations in the Action Plan. The Committee would have the capacity to implement some of the recommendations on its own, including presenting the Action Plan to other local governments and planning and developing a resource center to be placed at a public building. Additional tasks would require contract staff support, including the development of a system for tracking new solar energy system installations in order to monitor progress on the 500-system goal, and developing a list of area providers of solar-related services such as installers and equipment suppliers.
If the Steering Committee is reconvened, we recommend that Town staff responsibilities be limited to include the following:
· Provide support for the five Steering Committee meetings (one organizational plus the four quarterly meetings)
· Pursue and write a grant application
· Supervise contract staff assistance
· Develop a web site
Attachment 2 lists short-term recommendations, summarizes potential implementation responsibilities and notes possible actions for the first year. We recommend the Committee focus on a portion of the short-term recommendations (shown with a amark on Attachment 2) in fiscal year 2001-02 using $5,000 in Town funds for materials and contract staff support. Potential activities for fiscal year 2001-02 include:
· Compiling a list of solar installers and equipment suppliers
· Developing a system for tracking the number of solar installations in the area
· Seek cost-benefit literature from solar equipment manufacturers
· Work with the Committee to request that houses with solar technologies be included on the Parade of Homes tour
· Present the Action Plan to other local governments
Grant money could be an important component in moving forward on implementation. N.C. Solar Center is making available grants of $2,500 to $5,000 for projects that would remove barriers to the use of solar energy systems. We propose submitting a grant application with the goal of obtaining funding for implementing additional short-term recommendations in the Action. The specific grant activities would be chosen in consultation with the Steering Committee. We understand the grant application deadline is November 1, 2001.
An appropriation of Town funds could help the Town’s grant application, as it would demonstrate local support. If awarded, grant money would provide opportunities to accomplish additional short-term recommendations, such as:
· Work with the Committee to develop a Solar Resource Center at various locations
· Establish a design contest incorporating solar with affordable housing
· Seek the inclusion of houses with solar technologies on the Parade of Homes Tour.
We also would seek to continue working with staff from the North Carolina Solar Center, in Raleigh, who in the past have helped coordinate the development of the Action Plan, as well as organize and plan for Committee meetings over the next year. The work would conclude with a report to Council in November 2002.
We recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution which would authorize the Manager to provide staff support for one organizational meeting and four quarterly meetings of the Steering Committee, including applying for grant funds.
Further we recommend the Council adopt the attached budget ordinance appropriating $5,000 for initial implementation of Action Plan recommendations.
Attachments
1. Excerpt from Chapel Hill Million Solar Roofs Action Plan – Short/Long Term Recommendations (p. 6).
2. Short-Term Implementation Recommendations and Proposed Responsibilities (p. 7).
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MILLION SOLAR ROOFS STEERING COMMITTEE TO BEGIN IMPLEMENTION OF THE MILLION SOLAR ROOFS ACTION PLAN (2001-09-10/R-7)
WHEREAS, the Town Council in November 2000 appointed the Million Solar Roofs Steering Committee to develop an Action Plan to achieve the Council’s goal of 500 new solar energy systems installed by 2010 in the Chapel Hill area; and
WHEREAS, the Steering Committee in June 2001 presented the Council the Chapel Hill Million Solar Roofs Action Plan recommending actions intended to make progress on the 500-system goal; and
WHEREAS, the Council’s charge to the Committee in February 2000 included implementation and meeting for one year; and
WHEREAS, the continuation of the Committee in implementing and monitoring the Action Plan’s recommendations would provide a basis for a grant application to the N.C. Solar Center that could help fund materials and staff support; and
WHEREAS, the Council desires to continue with pursuing the recommendations in the Action Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Concil authorizes staff support for the Chapel Hill Million Solar Roofs Committee which will include preparation and organizational activities for the five Steering Committee meetings, pursuit of grants and other funding, supervision of contract staff assistance, and the development of a web site.
This the 10th day of September, 2001.
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND “THE ORDINANCE CONCERNING APPROPRIATIONS AND THE RAISING OF REVENUE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2001” (2001-09-10/O-2)
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Budget Ordinance entitled “An Ordinance Concerning Appropriations and the Raising of Revenue for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2001” as duly adopted on June 25, 2001, be and the same is hereby amended as follows:
ARTICLE I
Current Revised
APPROPRIATIONS Budget Increase Decrease Budget
GENERAL FUND
Non-Departmental
Contingency 35,565 5,000 30,565
Planning 1,048,028 5,000 1,053,028
This the 10th day of September, 2001.