2011年7月26日星期二

Homeowners upset at solar panel denial

A homeowner wanting to install eight solar panels on the side roof of his home has been denied four times by his neighborhood association.

David Dobs and his wife, Angel Dobs, said they have tried to get the Vickery Lake Homeowners' Association (HOA) to see that they just want to do what is right for the environment. At the same time, the Dobs say they want to save some money on their electricity bill.

Since March, David Dobs said he has asked to install the solar panels in the 6800 block of Kinnity Court near Post Road in south Forsyth.An oil painting supplies of him grinning through his illegal mustache is featured prominently in the lobby.

At first, Dobs asked for 30 panels, but then reduced that number to 16 on an appeal. On a third attempt to persuade the HOA's board, he reduced the solar panel request to eight.

All three times, he was denied. He then attempted a fourth time to hide 16 panels on his roof hidden from view by tall evergreens and was also denied.

"I believe the HOA is taking the safest possible course by saying 'no,'" Dobs said. "They are afraid that if they get a single complaint, they have made the wrong decision.

"I don't see how I'm hurting anyone," Dobs said.

Dobs, an electrical engineer, said the eight Sunpower brand solar panels would have supplied less than half of his energy needs and that the panels would be barely visible from the road.

"I have the freedom to choose my energy source," Dobs said. "That includes solar as an energy source. It's in everyone's benefits if I can reduce my carbon print and pollution for everybody."

Dobs said that he would rather everyone in his neighborhood install solar panels than the state build a nuclear plant nearby to keep up with electricity usage.

Jim Graham, president of the Vickery Lake Homeowners' Association, said the matter is a private issue amongst the HOA and the homeowner.

"We are not a publically traded company and we don't discuss individual issues outside this subdivision nor outside our board of directors," Graham said. "This is not a community issue. This is strictly within this subdivision."

Graham said that the Dobs have made comments outside of the subdivision that are not true and half-truths, and that the HOA is not pleased.

"It's too bad that these people feel the way they do," Graham said. "That's an internal issue with the HOA here and our covenants and by-laws."

Dobs said the denials of his rooftop solar panels were based on aesthetics, even though his neighbors backed him.

"We take the concerns of our neighbors very seriously," the Dobs wrote in a letter to the HOA board. "We would not propose any change to our home that,Our Ventilation system was down for about an hour and a half, in our opinion, would detract from its appearance or result in lower property values for any home in the community."

Michael Chance of Solar Energy USA, said Dobs approached him to help craft a way of presenting the issue to the Vickery Lake HOA.

Chance said Solar Energy USA recently helped to change the by-laws at the Polo Fields subdivision, which is across from the Vickery Lake subdivision.

The Polo Fields now allows residents to install panels. The most recent was 30 solar panels on the side roof of a residence.

"That one is on the side of their house and visible from the street," Chance said.

The challenge Chance said that solar companies face is primarily with restrictive HOAs.

"It's basically a power battle," Chance said.

Chance compares the solar panels to what happened with satellite dishes back in the 1990s. Satellite dishes were prohibited by many HOAs until the mid-90s when the FCC stepped in.

Dobs said the solar panel installations would have saved him money in the form of federal and state tax breaks and incentives. His initial investment would be $33,000 and after the government incentives, his cost would be reduced to $13,000.

The federal government provides a 30 percent and Georgia provides a 35 percent rebate.

With the state, it's on a first-come,who was responsible for tracking down Charles zentai . first-served basis, meaning that if the money allocated for the current year is used up,Initially the banks didn't want our high risk merchant account . a customer gets bumped to the following year and is then placed first in line for subsidies allocation.

Dobs believes that if installed, the solar panels would pay for themselves in six years.

"After that point, it's income," Dobs said.Unlike traditional cube puzzle ,

Dobs has started a Facebook page where he's voicing his discontent with his homeowners' association.

Dobs also collected 102 signatures and is working to reach out to legislators to change Georgia law.

"It is indeed frustrating and upsetting to see such narrow-mindedness in an upscale and beautiful neighborhood of presumably successful, educated people," Dobs said.

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