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Couple Told To Cut Down Redwood Trees Blocking Solar Panels
Green vs. Green 8 Comments
By Michael d'Estries in Dumb Ideas, Energy, Solar | January 24, 2008
Here’s an unusual situation: Neighbors A plants some redwood trees for protection from wind and screening between 1997-1999. They’re also heavy into the environment and later purchase a Toyota Prius.
Neighbors B install a 10-kilowatt solar system in 2001, drive an electric car, and pay about $60 a year in energy costs. They are now in a court case with Neighbors A because the redwood trees planted in 1997 are now blocking the solar panels they installed in 2001.
Apparently, Neighbors B are on the right side of the law by ordering Neighbors A to cut down their trees according to a rarely enforced California law called Solar Shade Control Act. The law, signed in ‘78, was created as a way to guarantee, “amid the energy crises of the 1970s, that people who installed solar panels wouldn’t see a drop in their investment from nearby trees.” Those in violation of the law face penalties of $1,000 a day. From the article,
“It affects only trees planted after 1979, and bans trees or shrubs from shading more than 10 percent of a neighbor’s solar panels between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. It does not apply to trees or shrubs that were there before the solar panels were installed. But - and here’s the key distinction - it does apply to existing trees and shrubs that later grew big enough to shade the solar panels.”
In December, a court judge found the couple with the trees guilty and ordered them to remove 2 out of the 8 redwoods on their property. They’ve appealed that decision saying that it could set a precedent for homeowners around the country.
This seems like a nightmare for some. I believe the law needs a little modifying. Obviously, the homeowner with the solar panels knew those trees would pose a problem, but went ahead installing them anyways. I can understand being upset by someone planting trees after the installation, but this just doesn’t seem fair to the homeowners that were there first. Should be interesting to see how this is resolved…
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