2013 City Budget, Proposed Solar Ordinance Slated for Adoption

By Christina Georgiou

Easton City Council is likely to adopt the proposed 2013 city budget this evening, along with an increase in parking rates and an extension of hours, after discussing the plan at their workshop meeting Tuesday evening.

Once again, the issues of parking and parking meters dominated the discussion.

City officials said they would be voting on the budget ordinance, and the related parking ordinance to support it, as it was introduced at their last regular meeting, on Nov. 28.

No further changes are anticipated to the plan to raise parking meter rates to $1 per hour and extend the hours of operation to 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and add hours from noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays at this time, the mayor and council members said.

While some council members have seemed opposed to the changes, all seemed likely to vote in favor of them.

"My understanding is that the budget only balances if we approve (parking) at $1," said Councilwoman El Warner.

City Administrator Glenn Steckmann said having metered parking in operation from  noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays is for the convenience of and to garner revenue from those visiting Crayola.

"That way they won't have to leave Crayola to feed the meters," he said.

Officials said they plan to distribute placards to Downtown church religious leaders that they can give to worshippers so they won't have to worry about getting a ticket while attending services.

"Our goal is not to have someone walk out of church to a ticket," Steckman said.

council members also discussed whether it might be a good idea to amend the proposed hours meters would be in effect in the evenings, but were uncertain if the move would require the ordinance to be readvertised. City solicitors were not present Tuesday evening.

"I think we're locked into whatever we've said all along," said Councilman Ken Brown.

"I'm willing to go to the $1, with 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. That's what last came out of this room and what people expect us to vote on. Any other changes, I think we'd need another budget ordinance," said Mayor Sal Panto. "It can alway be adjusted mid-year. The only thing it affects is a line item. We'd have to look for the money then."

"I'm done with discussing parking for the rest of my life," Warner said.

In other business, the council held a hearing to discuss enacting an ordinance that would regulate the placement of solar collectors in the city.

The proposed law is designed to spell out where and how they can be placed, and to preempt potential conflicts that could arise from collectors being blocked by future development, city officials say.

Council engaged in little discussion on the matter, and there were no comments from members of the public either.

The ordinance is set to be introduced formally in January. Officials noted that public hearings would be held again at that time to hear input from any interested members of the public.

They added that unless a matter of pressing importance comes up suddenly, the meeting tonight, Wednesday, Dec. 12, will be the last city council meeting of the year.

City Solar Ordinance to Be Introduced Next Month

A map shows solar exposure on the shortest day of the year,
December 21, in the City of Easton's Downtown district.
Shaded areas are shown in dark blue.

By Christina Georgiou

Easton City Council members are likely to consider adopting an ordinance regulating the placement of solar panels in the city next month, they said Tuesday evening, after hearing a presentation about the preliminary draft of the new proposed law from Planning Director Becky Bradley.

The goal of the regulations is to ensure both that panels that are erected are structurally sound and not aesthetically intrusive, as well as to define the rights of both those that erect them as well as neighboring properties, Bradley said.

“The ordinance very clearly states that it is the responsibility of the solar power owner to ensure the efficiency of the panels,” Bradley said.

However, if enacted, the law states that new structures that might be built after neighboring solar panels' erection may not reduce the sunlight that reaches them by more than 20 percent.

As initially presented, the proposal also included planted vegetation, but this provision will be removed before the introduction of the ordinance, it was agreed.

“My concern is...we're encouraging people to plant trees, and in 20 years, (they) may grow too high,” said Mayor Sal Panto.

Placement of the panels and their erection will be treated like any other zoning matter in the city, Bradley said.

“So we would check that, just like we'd check a fence,” she said, adding that panel in the Downtown historic district will also have to be approved by the Historic District Commission as well.

“You have to make it as least visible as possible,” she said. “If it's not in the the historic district, we'd treat it like any other zoning.”

The proposed ordinance is based on similar legislation in Philadelphia and Los Angeles, Bradley said, adding that there are few municipalities that currently regulate the placement of solar panels.

The wording of the proposed law is intentionally not exact when it comes to measurements, but should provide guidance for placement, aesthetics and right-of-way issues, she said.

“You have to give a broad range to make it work, or you'd eliminate (the possibility of) maybe 50 percent of those (that might benefit from solar panels),” Bradley said. “We really have a unique opportunity to crate something unique. Our fear is that someone's going to sue us (if the language is overly restrictive). We don't want to be the case law for the entire United States of America.”

“The main thing is, is someone invest money into this technology, we want to protect them,” said Councilwoman El Warner.

A map of existing sun exposure in the Downtown district, based on sunlight on December 21, the shortest day of the year, suggests solar power generation could save property owners much in energy bills, she noted, adding that Downtown was picked because of the varying heights of structures in that part of Easton.

“We have excellent sun exposure,” Bradley said.

While the new law would allow property owners to both generate energy for their own use and sell excess electricity back to the power supplier, the proposed ordinance does not allow for solar farms.

“No one was really against solar farms. It was just that on a steep slope, it causes all sorts of drainage and runoff issues,” Bradley said.

Panto praised the law overall, and said he's in favor of more alternative and sustainable electricity generation happening in the city.

“I still want to see windmills in Hackett Park,” he said. “I think that would be a great place for wind energy.”

The proposal will be introduced at a city council meeting sometime in August, after the city's planning commission has a chance to review it at their next meeting on Aug. 1, Bradley said.

“It may be a little after Aug. 8, but it will be in August,” she added.