(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Residential solar photovoltaic system” means equipment and devices that have the primary purpose of collecting solar energy and generating electricity by photovoltaic effect, have a nameplate capacity rating of twelve kilowatts or less, are installed on the roof of a single-family home and conform to the Connecticut State Building Code;

(2) “Municipality” means any town, city, borough, consolidated town and city or consolidated town and borough;

(3) “Electronic submission” means the act of a permit applicant who submits his or her completed application to a municipality for review by means of electronic mail, facsimile or electronic application available on a municipality's Internet web site.

(b) Not later than January 1, 2016, each municipality shall incorporate residential solar photovoltaic systems in its building permit application process or utilize a residential solar photovoltaic system permit application supplement. Each municipality may (1) develop and post on the municipality's Internet web site a permit application for the installation of a residential solar photovoltaic system, (2) allow for electronic submission of such application, and (3) exempt such system from payment of permit fees pursuant to subsection (c) of section 29-263.

(c) Not more than thirty days after receipt of a permit application, a municipality shall inform such permit applicant whether such application is approved or disapproved.

(d) In conducting inspections of work completed pursuant to a residential solar photovoltaic system permit, a local building official may use additional resources as described in the International Residential Code portion of the Connecticut State Building Code. Inspections shall be performed pursuant to said International Residential Code portion of the Connecticut State Building Code.

(e) Nothing in this section shall authorize any person to cause any home or structure located within a historic district established pursuant to section 7-147b to be altered, as defined in section 7-147a.

(f) Not later than December 1, 2015, the Connecticut Green Bank, in consultation with the office of the State Building Inspector, shall plan, implement and host five residential solar photovoltaic system permit training seminars, in different municipalities for the purpose of providing guidance and information to municipal officials developing a permitting process in accordance with this section. The Connecticut Green Bank may consult with the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, the Connecticut Council of Small Towns, the Renewable Energy and Efficiency Business Association and any other organization or representative of such organization in the planning and implementation of the training seminars.

(P.A. 15-194, S. 3.)