20.08.050 Regulatory framework.
The City Manager is authorized and directed to undertake the following actions to develop, implement, and administer the City’s MSU solar leasing program:
A. Develop, in cooperation with the City Attorney, all documents necessary to administer and operate the MSU solar leasing program.
B. Prepare application procedures and eligibility criteria governing participation by leasing companies, installers, and management companies in the MSU solar leasing program. Any entity satisfactorily meeting such eligibility criteria shall be issued an annual permit to participate in the MSU program.
1. As a prerequisite to application for a permit, the City Manager may require the inspection of all appropriate records of the applicant including, but not limited to, financial information and investment transactions pertinent to determining whether or not the applicant satisfies all eligibility criteria. All financial records of the applicant shall be deemed to be private and confidential and not subject to public review. All such records of applicants not granted a permit may be returned to the applicant upon request by the applicant within 10 days of the denial of the permit. Records of all persons granted a permit shall be subject to such review and audit by other public agencies as may be required by law.
2. The City Manager shall compile a list of all firms, known as “permittees,” who obtain permits to participate in the MSU solar leasing program.
3. The City Manager shall develop and implement procedures to be used for revoking the permit of any permittee failing to comply with the ordinance codified in this chapter and any rules and regulations promulgated to implement this chapter. All criteria and procedures proposed by the City Manager shall be subject to review by the City Attorney and approval of the City Council.
4. The City Manager shall review and approve all lease terms proposed by leasing companies prior to granting the leasing company a permit to participate in the MSU solar leasing program.
C. Monitor and review all transactions and contractual relationships between permittees and consumers to ensure compliance with program requirements and other applicable federal, state or local laws.
D. Prepare, in cooperation with appropriate departments and other public agencies, manufacturing, operating, maintenance and aesthetic standards for all solar equipment to be utilized under the leasing program.
E. Assess, in cooperation with the Finance Department, the feasibility of developing billing procedures to be utilized in invoicing solar lessees, collecting monthly lease payments, and disbursing the payments to the relevant permittees. Such procedures may include utilization of the City’s computer system or such other system as may be determined to be cost effective. The City Manager will establish a reasonable fee to be charged to recover all costs of the billing system, and establish regulations for the operation of the billing system.
F. Prepare any other procedures, rules, regulations and fee schedules deemed reasonably necessary to facilitate the implementation and ongoing operation of the leasing program. (Ord. 2012 § 5, 1982).