The Weekly Newspaper of El Segundo
Herald Publications - El Segundo, Hawthorne, Lawndale & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 108, No. 48 - November 28, 2019
Inside
This Issue
Certified & Licensed
Professionals.....................12
Classifieds............................4
Crossword/Sudoku.............4
Entertainment....................13
Ladies Night Out.........15-16
Legals............................ 11,12
Letters...................................2
Police Reports.....................4
Real Estate.......................7-9
Sports.............................. 5,10
Weekend
Forecast
Firefighter Storytime at Library
The El Segundo Public Library recently hosted a Firefighter Storytime. Battalion Chief Deena Lee read My Mom is a Firefighter by Lois G. Grambling and answered questions from a lively audience. Kids
also got to learn about firefighter turnout gear and tour the fire engine too! Photo: El Segundo Public Library
City Gets Top Designation in
Helping the Community Go Solar
By Brian Simon
In the latest feather to its environmental cap,
the City of El Segundo recently came away
with a coveted Gold designation awarded by the
U.S. Department of Energy’s SolSmart program.
SolSmart recognizes communities that make it
faster, easier and more affordable to go solar.
El Segundo achieved the highest honor in this
regard, surpassing the Silver and Bronze levels.
The SolSmart program has become a go-to
project for City Principal Planner Paul Samaras,
who noted that the recognition publicizes
to the entire region that El Segundo is “open
for solar business.” As part of the objective,
the City made major inroads in removing
prior obstacles to solar energy development
in town by facilitating permitting, planning
and zoning processes as well as those for
market development and finance. Doing this,
Samaras believes, can bolster local economic
development efforts and helps create new jobs
via companies that prioritize environmental
responsibility and solar technology.
Samaras heads a City team, established at
the beginning of the year, to work with the
South Bay Council of Governments (COG)
and consulting firm EcoMotion to review and
update local policies to make it easier for both
residents and businesses in town to go solar.
El Segundo is one of eight South Bay Cities
that the COG applied for and secured no-cost
technical assistance in this area. El Segundo is
the only municipality in the group that achieved
the Gold status for SolSmart.
For this particular program, Samaras took
a two-hour training webinar on planning and
zoning issues related to solar development.
He also worked with the El Segundo Fire
Department to ensure the latter’s members
completed online training regarding solar
photovoltaic (PV) and related equipment. He
additionally reviewed the City’s zoning regulations
to determine what if any barriers exist
to solar development in the community. “I am
currently working on a draft ordinance with
amendments to the municipal code to clarify
where solar PV installations are permitted and
to allow exceptions to certain requirements such
as screening and setbacks,” he said.
A key component in making it faster and
easier to go solar is speedy review and approval,
with goals of one-day and no more than threeday
approval as well as inspection turnaround
for qualifying solar projects. Applicants can
also submit their proposed projects online to
further streamline the process.
Samaras also worked with the City’s building
official to review fee levels for solar projects,
now capped at $450 (down from $535) to
comply with state legislation. He and City staff
continue to work with EcoMotion on a study
to determine the feasibility of installing solar
panels and battery back-up systems on several
of the City’s own facilities. This may help the
City meet some of its Climate Action Plan
(CAP) goals and improve the resiliency of the
facilities, Samaras explained. “The CAP, which
was approved in November 2017, contains a
chapter on Energy Generation and Storage
(EGS),” he said. “Our efforts related to the
SolSmart program are consistent with the goals
and strategies included in the EGS chapter.”
One of the CAP strategies is for the City
to identify and develop measures to remove
barriers for siting and permitting renewable
energy technologies. “As part of the SolSmart
program, we identified barriers in our permitting,
inspections, fees and zoning regulations and
have taken concrete steps to remove barriers,”
Samaras said. “The City has made it possible
to permit most small residential solar projects
over the counter on the same day to inspect
most projects within one day of the inspection
request, and we have reduced our fees for solar
projects to comply with state law and further
facilitate solar development. We have updated
and are currently in the process of further updating
the City’s zoning regulations to clarify
the regulatory framework and remove barriers
to solar development.”
Another strategy aims to explore renewable
energy generation and storage options for municipal
operations. “According to the City’s CAP,
46 percent of our municipal greenhouse gas
emissions came from its buildings and facilities
and City-owned outdoor lights,” Samaras said,
adding that feasible renewal energy sources
can help reduce those emissions.
“Given the climate crisis that the world
faces, anyone -- whether a state, city or an
individual -- can help make a difference, and
small successes can help build momentum
toward making greater strides in greenhouse
gas reduction,” Samaras said. “So, I hope that
we can build on El Segundo’s Gold designation
and make further progress in meeting the
City’s Climate Action Plan goals.”
Samaras’ passion on the topic extends
beyond the municipal level. It literally hits
home. “Personally, I have two children of my
own and I would like to leave a better world
behind for them,” he said. “So anything I can
do whether in my private life or through work
makes me feel like I am doing my part…” •
Friday
AM
Showers
57˚/46˚
Saturday
Cloudy
60˚/50˚
Sunday
Mostly
Cloudy
62˚/51˚