The City of Allen created a prohibitive solar ordinance in 2012 which does not allow for street-facing solar photovoltaic systems. We're mobilizing support to amend it. We need to help communities increase the adoption of rooftop solar energy in North Texas by identifying and removing barriers. 

The placement of rooftop solar panels is not arbitrary. They are placed to achieve maximum annual production. Where we live, this means south facing installations provide the maximum annual production. The current ordinance as written prevents roughly half of the homes in Allen from installing solar panels for maximum production. This would be similar to restricting some residents from installing high efficiency air conditioners while others would be allowed.

Some citizens adversely affected by this ordinance might start asking for compensation from the city for lost savings based on one, fundamental question – “Why should some homeowners be allowed to install rooftop solar for maximum production and others not allowed based on the orientation of their homes?”

Aesthetics are not an acceptable basis for this non-nonsensical ordinance. Besides that being a totally subjective assessment; today's solar panels are sleek, modern, and wildly growing in popularity. 

We are asking for Allen residents to get involved to remove this street facing restriction and let the sun shine for Allen residents! Sign this online petition and share it with other people you know in Allen!

 

The only way to get a city ordinance changed is by a large public showing of support. Sign this petition and then email the Mayor and City Council members with a letter of support.

EMAILS:
sterrell@cityofallen.org, kkizer@cityofallen.org, rsedlacek@cityofallen.org, robermeyer@cityofallen.org, gcaplinger@cityofallen.org, jherald@cityofallen.org, bbrooks@cityofallen.org

[TEMPLATE EMAIL you can copy/paste/edit]

Dear Mayor & City Council Members,

Please update the City of Allen ordinance that prohibits street-facing solar panels. The aesthetics of solar panels does not offend me. In fact it encourages me that our city is joining the movement to a healthier more sustainable environment. (choose any quote below)

I implore you to update this nonsensical ordinance and allow solar panels on any side of a home's roof.

[SIGNATURE]

QUOTES:

"Solar power is going to be absolutely essential to meeting growing energy demands while staving off climate change." - Ramez Naam

"Clubing energy efficiency with renewable energy will give us the much-needed window to incubate the renewable energy sector, particularly large solar, without having to increase the price of electricity." - Jamshyd Godrej

"There is an urgent need to stop subsidizing the fossil fuel industry, dramatically reduce wasted energy, and significantly shift our power supplies from oil, coal, and natural gas to wind, solar, geothermal, and other renewable energy sources." - Bill McKibben

"The total amount of energy we use every year - from coal, oil, natural gas, hydro, nuclear, and everything else - is dwarfed by the amount of solar energy hitting the planet each year." - Ramez Naam

“We have this handy fusion reactor in the sky called the sun, you don’t have to do anything. It just works. It shows up every day.” – Elon Musk, CEO Tesla Motors

"Solar energy may be the ultimate solution for energy for most of the world." - Donald Bren

"We are already witnessing a transformation in the U.S. economy to increased production of lower carbon energy through fuel switching to natural gas and expansion of wind, solar, geothermal, and other renewable non-carbon intensive energy sources." - Martin O'Malley