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Ypsilanti Fire Department 525 
Ypsilanti MI
Designation Level: SolSmart Gold
Special Awards Earned In: Permitting, Planning, Market Development
In The News
Solsmart Advisor
Adam Beam
Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
Technical Assistance Organization
Solar Organization
- SolSmart Criteria
- Program Highlights
- Case Study
SolSmart Criteria
- Created an online permitting checklist, increasing transparency for community members and solar installers
- Reviewed local zoning codes and identified restrictions that intentionally or unintentionally prohibit solar PV development
- Allowed solar by-right accessory use in all zones (so solar installations don’t require special permits or hearings)
- Cross-trained both inspection and permitting staff on solar PV
- Provided a streamlined permitting pathway for small PV systems
Program Highlights
- Fire department has been trained in solar PV and the fire station has 50kW of solar power installed on the roof.
- Provided Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing for solar energy projects
- Encouraged solar PV on non-profit or community facilities, including Adams School, Corner Health Center, Growing Hope Farmer’s Market, and others, through fee waivers, technical assistance, or other support
Case Study
As the first SolSmart designee in the state of Michigan, Ypsilanti is paving the way for the future of the Michigan future of solar energy by making the process of obtaining solar energy less prohibitive for residents and businesses. Since becoming SolSmart designated, Ypsilanti has installed or encouraged a number of projects that increased its solar capacity to 1.16 megawatts, earning the city the 2019 Smart Cities Connects’ Horizon Award for “Building Community with Solar Power”.
Click here to read the full case study on Ypsilanti