Goals

1. Goal RE-3 Community-Oriented Renewable Energy

   Community-oriented renewable energy facilities will be prioritized to complement local values and support a high quality of life in unincorporated communities

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2. Goal RE-6 County Government Systems

   County regulatory systems will ensure that renewable energy facilities are designed, sited, developed, operated and decommissioned in ways compatible with our communities, natural environment, and applicable environmental and cultural resource protection laws

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Policies

1. Policy RE-2.5

   Support renewable energy systems that accelerate zero net energy (ZNE) through innovative design, construction, and operations of residences, businesses, and institutions that are grid-neutral and independent of centralized energy infrastructure.

   • RE 2.5.1: Allow and encourage construction of new buildings designed to ZNE standards consistent with state programs.
   • RE 2.5.2: Incorporate ZNE into outreach and educational strategies about renewable energy and energy efficiency.
   • RE 2.5.3: Allow and encourage construction of new buildings or developments in remote locations with stand-alone energy systems not connected to the grid.
   • RE 2.5.4: Encourage energy independence and resiliency, including zero net energy and stand-alone systems not connected to the grid, in County economic development presentations and outreach efforts.
   • RE 2.5.5: Collaborate with incorporated cities and other jurisdictions to create region-specific ZNE programs and Community Development toolkit tools tailored to the climates and characteristics of each region to provide consistency and leverage resources.
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2. Policy RE-3.2

   Encourage community-oriented renewable energy (CORE) generation that primarily serves local uses in the county.

   • RE 3.2.1: Specific standards shall be established and maintained for community-oriented RE generation facilities appropriate to the Valley, Desert, and Mountain regions.
   • RE 3.2.2: Encourage through the regulatory system the establishment of local and regional organizations to pursue community-oriented RE production and storage.
   • RE 3.2.3: CORE facilities shall be designed primarily to meet the needs of the local users, with an adequate overage margin to meet peak demands and defray the cost of the systems.
   • RE 3.2.3: Encourage utilities and developers to establish community-shared solar programs that allow residents and businesses to purchase shares of the output of RE generation facilities to offset their electricity bills.
   • RE 3.2.4: Provide information and educational opportunities in the Countywide Plan Community Development Tool Kit for local organizations pursuing the acquisition of Community-Oriented Renewable Energy (CORE).
   • RE 3.2.5: Encourage utilization of micro-grid technologies to support the principle of “local production primarily for local consumption,” to enhance local energy security and to improve local costs of living and commerce.
   • RE 3.2.6: Apply minimal discretion in the permit approval process for CORE facilities.
   • RE 3.2.7: Encourage infrastructure, net metering and regulatory systems that support CORE facilities.
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3. Policy RE-3.3

   Promote an adaptive distributed energy infrastructure that sustains local communities and improves resiliency to grid failures and increasing energy prices.

   • RE 3.3.1: Support research, planning and investment in accessory and community-oriented energy generation, distribution, and storage infrastructure by adapting regulatory tools to respond to rapidly evolving RE technologies.
   • RE 3.3.2: Encourage new institutional campuses and large residential/commercial developments to include micro-grids with onsite renewable energy generation and energy storage systems.
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4. Policy RE-3.7

   Continue to foster local economic benefits of renewable energy facilities through community involvement.

   • RE 3.7.1: Require CORE project development applications to be sponsored or co-sponsored by local users who will be the primary consumers of the energy generated by the projects.
   • RE 3.7.2: Encourage RE generation facility developers to give preference to San Bernardino County residents in hiring for construction, operation, and decommissioning of the facility.
   • RE 3.7.3: Encourage local community colleges, vocational schools, and workforce training centers to offer programs on renewable energy installation and maintenance.
   • RE 3.7.4: Encourage innovation zones for manufacturers to locate and operate in the unincorporated county to research, construct, test, and distribute renewable energy technologies
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5. Policy RE-5.1

   Encourage the siting of RE generation facilities on disturbed or degraded sites in proximity to necessary transmission infrastructure.

   • RE 5.1.1: Community-oriented RE generation facility sites may be less disturbed or degraded, but should contribute direct benefits to the communities they are intended to serve.
   • RE 5.1.2: Siting of community-oriented and utility-oriented RE generation facilities will conform to applicable standards set forth in the Development Code.
   • RE 5.1.3: Encourage new subdivision applications to set aside an area of land capable of supporting neighborhood-oriented renewable energy generation.
   • RE 5.1.4: Encourage micro-grids supported by energy storage and innovative technologies for incorporation into neighborhood- and community-scale renewable energy projects.
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6. Policy RE-6.1

   Ensure consistency, clarity, and timeliness in the development permitting process for RE generation facilities.

   • RE 6.1.1: Expedite the permitting process for accessory and community-oriented RE generation facilities
   • RE 6.1.2: Provide public information to facilitate installation of accessory RE generation systems, including rooftop solar PV, solar water heaters, and accessory wind energy systems.
   • RE 6.1.3: Establish Development Code standards for ground-mounted accessory RE generation facilities in residential areas and Rural Living land use designations to address issues of aesthetics, safety, flood risks, wind, and dust.
   • RE 6.1.4: Establish procedures and standards in the Development Code for new RE project applications that clearly identify the environmental review process, design standards, and permit requirements.
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7. Policy RE-6.3

   Share information and communicate the costs and benefits of investing in energy efficiency retrofits, energy conservation behaviors, and renewable energy systems.

   • RE 6.3.1: Update the County’s renewable energy web portal to include information to publicize successes of community-oriented renewable energy (CORE) projects, sharing lessons learned, and encouraging duplication.
   • RE 6.3.2: Participate in regional collaborative efforts such as the Countywide Vision working groups to identify, vet, and implement energy programs that are feasible at the regional scale but may not be feasible for one jurisdiction to implement independently, such as energy partnerships with utilities or regional education programs.
   • RE 6.3.3: Promote opportunities for low-cost property financing for energy efficiency and onsite accessory RE generation through efforts, such as the PACE program, at County events and during the review of building permits and applications for building expansion or renovation.
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8. Policy RE-6.4

   Support the governor’s initiative to obtain 50% of the energy consumed in the state through RE generation sources by 2040.

   • RE 6.4.1: Continue to implement policies and strategies for energy conservation by the County in the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan, including capture and use of landfill gas, installation of renewable energy systems and use of alternative fuels.
   • RE 6.4.2: Consider options for entering into an energy services contract or power purchase agreement for expanding the renewable energy that serves County facilities while reducing the County’s overall utility costs.
   • RE 6.4.3: Consider utilizing public/private partnerships to install onsite solar energy on County government facilities, sharing costs and benefits.
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Related Materials

1. Element as Adopted (adopted separately from Countywide Plan) Renewable Energy and Conservation Element (PDF only)

1. FOCUS STATEMENT A - Preserve the desert ecosystem, its natural beauty, and the community’s harmonious relationship with the environment

   Action Statement A.6

   Encourage small-scale rooftop solar rather than large industrial solar farms.

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1. FOCUS STATEMENT A - Maintain the rural character of the community

   Action Statement A.1

   Aspire to be a model renewable energy community with a principal focus on point-of-use, rooftop solar.

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2. FOCUS STATEMENT G - Strive to make Lucerne Valley energy self-sustainable

   Action Statement G.1

   Promote programs that assist home and business owners with financing energy-efficiency upgrades.

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