The Municipal Services Committee met 08/09/2021 and took up item 21-0873 which was a request to approve an update to Municipal Code Section 4-392 related to electrical work by a home owner. Essentially, this change would update the Municipal Code to make it clear that, while a homeowner can perform electrical work in their dwelling, the installation or replacement of service equipment (i.e. the electrical panel itself) must be performed by a licensed electrician.
Alderperson Alex Schultz (District 9) was concerned that, as written, the updated language would prevent homeowners from installing small personal solar or wind units that were easy to install and could be used as a battery backup. He referred it back to the committee which eventually sent it back to the Common Council without making any changes. During the most recent Common Council meeting he wanted to amend the item to clarify that the code did not apply to solar photovoltaic battery backup systems but only to systems that tied into the energy grid. It was referred back to the Municipal Services Committee again so to give time to get feedback from an electrical inspector.
During the 08/09/2021 committee meeting, Director of Public Works Paula Vandehey thanked the alderpersons for referring the item back. She had been able to check with the electricians on staff, and staff did support the amendment that Alderperson Schultz wanted to make. The recommended language had originally read, “In the case of installing or replacing service equipment in a single-family dwelling, solar photovoltaic installations or electrical work performed on a residential property which is not a single-family owner occupied dwelling, the electrical work shall be performed by a licensed electrical contractor.”
The recommended amended language would read, “In the case of installing or replacing service equipment in a single-family dwelling, utility interactive solar photovoltaic installations or electrical work performed on a residential property which is not a single-family owner occupied dwelling, the electrical work shall be performed by a licensed electrical contractor.”
Alderperson Brad Firkus (District 3) made a motion to amend the item as recommended.
Alderperson Schultz thanked staff for checking to make sure that that language was acceptable for the code. He apologized for not making the earlier meeting and said he felt like he was there. [It’s possible he was at the 07/12/2021 meeting. My notes don’t show him participating in any of the discussions during that meeting and he’s not on the committee so his presence wouldn’t have been recorded in the minutes, but this item was held right away so he may just have had no reason to speak. He definitely wasn’t at the 07/26/2021 meeting when the item was taken up and voted on again. At any rate…]
He said what they were trying to do with the amended language was to make sure that homeowners could install severe event backup systems, be those solar or wind, that are not connected to the electric grid and to make sure that the updated language did not prevent them from doing that or give them the impression that they couldn’t do it. He very much appreciated the efforts of staff to make sure that the language was correct.
The amendment passed 5-0 with no further discussion, and then the item as amended was approved 5-0.
So it appears that, barring something out of left field at the upcoming Common Council meeting, will be including it its municipal code the ability of homeowners to install on their own an off grid back-up energy system.
[As I said back when the item was first referred back, I think this demonstrates how valuable it is to have people from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences serving on the Council, and I appreciate having people who have a solid understanding about an issue cast a discriminating eye at proposed legal changes which in this case helped avoid potential unintended consequences.]
View full meeting details here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=859288&GUID=33364E56-1C21-43B6-AA51-D8BDAAD69CB8&Options=info|&Search=
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