<div dir="ltr"><div>Hello esteemed Wrenches; I am trying to clear this up for a client and his AHJ, which is also puzzled at how to interpret IFC 2018, Section 1204.4, which states:</div><div><br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">Setback requirements shall not apply to ground-mounted, free-standing photovoltaic arrays. A clear, brush-free area of 10 feet (3048 mm) shall be required for ground-mounted photovoltaic arrays.</blockquote><div> </div><div>I found one lone informational note in a white paper stating this was to prevent a burning PV array from igniting surrounding vegetation and the fire spreading.</div><div><br></div><div>So, has anyone dealt with an AHJ on this before? Our questions are:</div><div><ul><li>What exactly is a &quot;free-standing photovoltaic array&quot; that is exempt? A pole mount? Couldn&#39;t burning debris from that ignite vegetation underneath?</li><li>What exactly does &quot;A clear, brush-free area of 10 feet (3048 mm)&quot; mean? &quot;10 feet&quot; is a linear measurement, not an area, that would be in square feet.</li><li>What is &quot;brush&quot;? Does grass count as brush?</li></ul></div><div>I would interpret this on the safe side as meaning that all vegetation under the PV array and out to a 10 foot perimeter should be cleared, except for pole-mount arrays (that exception makes no sense to me).</div><div><br></div><div>I always recommend to clients that the area <i>under</i> the ground mount array should be pea gravel bordered by railroad ties, but out to 10 feet from the array edge seems excessive.</div><div><br></div><div>Any input greatly appreciated!</div><div><br></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:Calibri,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif,serif,EmojiFont;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12.8px;line-height:inherit;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif,serif,EmojiFont;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(34,34,34)">Dan Fink</span></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:Calibri,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif,serif,EmojiFont;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12.8px;line-height:inherit;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif,serif,EmojiFont;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="font-size:12.8px">Executive Director, Buckville Energy Consulting</span><br></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12.8px;line-height:inherit;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif,serif,EmojiFont;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="font-size:12.8px">NABCEP PV Associate</span><span style="font-size:12.8px"><br></span></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12.8px;line-height:inherit;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif,serif,EmojiFont;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="font-size:12.8px">NABCEP Certified PV System Inspector</span></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12.8px;line-height:inherit;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif,serif,EmojiFont;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(34,34,34)">IREC Certified Instructor\u2122 for: </div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12.8px;line-height:inherit;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif,serif,EmojiFont;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(34,34,34)">~ PV Installation Professional</div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12.8px;line-height:inherit;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif,serif,EmojiFont;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(34,34,34)">~ Small Wind Installer</div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12.8px;line-height:inherit;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif,serif,EmojiFont;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="font-size:12.8px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit">NABCEP Registered Continuing Education Provid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