The Village of Teutopolis is set to vote on an ordinance that puts significant restrictions on rooftop solar for homeowners within the village. Safety is paramount in all of Sonne Energy's projects, but this ordinance goes far beyond the needed safety precautions and decreases a homeowner’s usable space for solar.

The main concern with the proposed rooftop solar ordinance is that the required setbacks around the installed system significantly reduce the amount of available roof space while not providing any additional safety benefits. The town is proposing 24 inch setbacks from the ridge, 1 foot from the gutter line, and 2 feet from the eaves.

Sonne Energy provided feedback to the board earlier in the process and recommended simplified setbacks that aligned with the International Fire code. These setbacks are 18 inches from a ridge with no setbacks for eaves or valleys.

The ordinance as proposed puts a significant restriction upon homeowners who are interested in diversifying their energy resources for the next 30 years. By signing, I urge you to consider the rooftop solar setback recommendations put forth by Sonne Energy for the ordinance.