One Illinois homeowner found themselves between a rock and a hard place when it came to installing solar panels. They sought advice for their predicament on the r/TeslaSolar subreddit.
The original poster explained their permit application was "outright denied." They cited a two-year moratorium on solar panels that was put in that month.
The OP shared a newsletter item where the municipality president noted there'd been interest in installing panels but also complaints from residents about the "visual impacts" of panels.
🗣️ What is stopping you from upgrading to a heat pump system?
🔘 The cost of installation 💵
🔘 I live in a cold area 🥶
🔘 I don't know enough about it 🤷
🔘 I already have one 😎
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
While some residents may think solar panels have a negative effect on property values, this is actually false. One Redditor immediately debunked that narrative with a Zillow article revealing that homes with panels actually sell for more than comparable ones without.
The Reddit community noted the OP faces a difficult path going forward. While one user suggested that Illinois has right-to-solar laws, the OP noted that while that rule applies to HOAs, it doesn't to their municipality.
"A lawsuit might only be your option," declared another user.
"It could very rapidly get far more expensive to fight it than solar will return," another Redditor concluded.
Saving money long-term, as alluded to here, is a real benefit of installing solar. While startup costs can be high, EnergySage can help connect homeowners with local providers and free quotes to score the best deal.
Solar panels don't just have monetary benefits. They also have major environmental benefits. When you switch to solar power, you reduce your reliance on dirty energy, helping keep the planet cool.
What's more, you'll have added grid resilience during blackouts after making the switch to solar energy.
Redditors continued to discuss possible solutions for the OP to explore.
"I would look up my state representatives and reach out to them to see if their office can offer any assistance," one user offered.
The OP replied they are following that plan and that "lawyering up will be an option but likely one of last resort."
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