The city is considering a Solar Zoning amendment to encourage and protect solar adoption in the city. Rooftop solar is an important tool for providing clean electricity and reaching our carbon goals, but any amendment needs to consider the impact on future solar installations, not just existing ones.
We have a green roof ordinance, which means new buildings over 25,000 sq. ft. are required to have roofs with vegetation or rooftop solar. The city is considering a rule to limit the roof size of new affordable housing overlay or 6-story mixed-income buildings in an effort to protect solar on existing buildings. But doing so would reduce the size of future green roofs, because the new buildings that are required to have them will have their roof’s size reduced. And Massachusetts General law requires any zoning changes to apply this green roof reduction even if there is no solar to protect.
The city did an analysis that showed existing solar in lots with a particular orientation to a new building could see their solar potential reduced by up to 26%. But the city says there are only about 800 solar installations, most of which will not be affected by new buildings. To protect a very few installations we would be reducing the area available for green roofs on our new buildings by 19%.
Masato Kocberber, Allston Street, Cambridge
A stronger
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More NIMBY nonsense. Wealthy homeowners are doing everything possible to block new housing, protecting their property values and privilege while ignoring the rent burdens others face.
If they truly cared about the environment, they’d support development.
Dense cities are greener because they cut car dependence, a major source of greenhouse gases and pollution.
New buildings are also far more energy-efficient than old ones.
But as always, anti-development activists will use any excuse to block new housing.
More NIMBY nonsense. What’s next, block housing construction so as to help out Cambridge corn farmers?
I am unclear of what the ordinance being proposed does or why it would have to apply to buildings that are not near solar installations under MA General Laws. I think this is the sort of problem that the City’s Legal Advisor should be looking into before any such ordinance is to be considered in depth so that it can be explained in full to the public in terms we can understand.
Not blocking existing solar installations so that they receive light seems a no-brainer in construction, but limiting rooftop square footage does not seem the way to achieve this goal. And Solar installations do not necessarily have to be on a rooftop, as I understand it, to produce value.
In other countries that have successfully placed solar array systems on the top of vehicle parking garages and lots, providing power and cooling at the same time.