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<p>I, second Jay's <i>no gravel</i> sentiment. I saw a huge 160
acre solar farm that they covered with hundreds of thousands of
dollars of gravel. <br>
</p>
<p>Punch Line? Only the weeds came back. And only the nice 3 ft
tall ones that some might call brush.....</p>
<p>Just use a weed eater or manually pull the taller stuff as needed
a few times a year. Smaller cordless weed eaters don't throw
rocks as bad as the big motorized ones, and I would recommend
clearing the rocks, not adding more. <br>
</p>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Ray Walters
Remote Solar
303 505-8760</pre>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 3/21/20 11:03 AM, Jay wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:3DA94412-9CFD-42C9-A059-60F02B9A0967@gmail.com">
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
<div dir="ltr">There is another aspect to the 10\u2019 rule which is,
its protection for the array from wildfires. 10\u2019 might not be
enough for that though depending on where you live. </div>
<div dir="ltr"><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">In regards to what\u2019s being discussed, I have many
ground mounts (not talking pole mounts)out there, I try to have
them as high off the ground as practical, and to allow easy
grass cutting. Yes brush would have been removed before
install. </div>
<div dir="ltr">I don\u2019t agree with bringing gravel in, or any sort
of barrier, we don t need a sterile environment under the array.
And anyone who\u2019s ever seen such a weed cloth/gravel area will
see it grass in over time, so it really doesn\u2019t work. </div>
<div dir="ltr">Where I live, no fire danger in the winter after
the rains, and during the green grass of spring. Cut the grass
as it drys, and as we get no summer rain no more grass grows,
until the following winter rains,spring time. </div>
<div dir="ltr"><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">Many people live in green all year areas, Hawaii
for example, or what about if you have enough water to keep it
all green? </div>
<div dir="ltr"><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">In the end it\u2019s the AHJ\u2019s world</div>
<div dir="ltr"><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">Jay</div>
<div dir="ltr"><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">Peltz power. </div>
<div dir="ltr"><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr"><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr"><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr"><br>
</div>
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</div>
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<div dir="ltr"><br>
<blockquote type="cite">On Mar 20, 2020, at 7:28 PM, Martin
Herzfeld <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:findsolar@herzfeld.org"><findsolar@herzfeld.org></a> wrote:<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">\ufeff
<div dir="auto">
<div>Dan, </div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
<div dir="auto">I think there should more discussions on
ground-mounted arrays as an option in addition to rooftop
systems - to get out ahead of any issues. In addition,
any renderings for ground-mounted arrays and
ground-mounted stuff as ESSs. </div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
<div dir="auto">1. By definition, a brush could mean a
"slight and fleeting touch" - which we do not want to do
at these times :) or "undergrowth, small trees and
shrubs." </div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
<div dir="auto">2. The challenge also in one and and two
family dwellings when there is a setback of only (3) three
feet as an accessory structure and the (10) foot rule.</div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
<div dir="auto">3. I think mounts can be categorized in
general as SPMs (Side of Pole Mounts), TPMs (Top of Pole
Mounts), MPM's (Multiple Pole Mounts) or an Open Structure
with the ability to walk underneath or a Closed structure
where you can not walk underneath. </div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
<div dir="auto">4. BTW, you may wish to look at versions of
ISEP and the IRC too? </div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
<div dir="auto">
<p style="margin:0px 0px 8px">"A. RS402.4 (R324.6)
Ground-mounted photovoltaic systems.</p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 8px">Ground-mounted photovoltaic
systems shall be designed and installed in accordance
with Section (R301).</p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 8px">B. RS402.4.1 (R324.6.1)
Fire separation distances.</p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 8px">Ground-mounted photovoltaic
systems shall be subject to the fire separation
distance requirements determined by the
local jurisdiction."</p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 8px"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 8px">5. Gravel and the various
types is also my goto soil amendment. In California, I'd
also suggest working with a C27 Landscaping Contractor
on what type of blue flowers would be okay. </p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 8px"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 8px">What do you think?</p>
</div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
<div data-smartmail="gmail_signature" dir="auto">All the
best, <br>
<br>
Martin Herzfeld, Interstate Renewable Energy Council
(IREC) Certified Master Trainer \u2122 for Photovoltaics (PV)
Installation Professional #IREC 10037<br>
Contract Training Provider (CTP)<br>
Adjunct Professor, Energy<br>
<br>
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#00833782 C46, C10, D56, D31, C-7<br>
Solar, Electrical, Trenching, Pole Installation &
Maintenance, Instrumentation<br>
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Inspections <br>
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Telephone & Text: 510.243.0190<br>
</div>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote" dir="auto">
<div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Fri, Mar 20, 2020,
4:06 PM Dan Fink <<a
href="mailto:danbob88@gmail.com" rel="noreferrer
noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer" target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true">danbob88@gmail.com</a>>
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<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 "free-standing
photovoltaic array" that is exempt? A pole
mount? Couldn't burning debris from that
ignite vegetation underneath?</li>
<li>What exactly does "A clear, brush-free area
of 10 feet (3048 mm)" mean? "10 feet" is a
linear measurement, not an area, that would be
in square feet.</li>
<li>What is "brush"? 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" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">
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