3. 411 West North Shore Drive_COA 2021-1101

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Application for Certificate of Appropriateness Robert and Lucy Jones – 411 W. North Shore Drive, South Bend Detailed Project Description Consistent with the City of South Bend’s policy to promote rooftop solar energy, we propose to install 20 all-black solar panels on the south-facing portion of our roof, which is a standard shingle roof. Before installing the panels, we will replace the roof with black shingles so that the solar panels will blend as nearly as possible with the surface of the roof. The panels will be installed in a neat rectangle, flat against the roof surface, and centered on the roof. In order to accommodate that configuration, we will move a vent stack from the front center of the roof to the far right side of the roof, where it will not interfere with the panels. Windfree Solar from Chicago will install the panels. Gean Roofing will install the new roof. Niezgodski Plumbing will move the vent stack to a position on the roof that will not interfere with the solar panels. We recognize that installing solar panels on the street -facing portion of a roof in a historic district is unusual. We obtained a satellite analysis of our roof surfaces from Eagle View and then consulted with installers, who informed us that the street -facing portion of our roof, which faces south-southwest, is the only feasible portion of our roof for solar panels. We then took great care to design an installation that would be as consistent with the style of our house, and as unobtrusive, as possible. We explored a variety of options. The approach we are proposing is the most aesthetically pleasing we could develop, but not the least expensive. We will incur extra costs by installing a new roof that will blend with the solar panels, by choosing more costly, all-black solar panels instead of standard panels, and by moving the vent stack in our roof to allow a more symmetrical arrangement of the panels. We have also compromised the total number of panels for the sake of aesthetics. While the roof would accommodate 22 panels, and we would prefer to install that number, we have reduced the proposal to 20 panels so that we can achieve a more symmetrical design. We are willing to incur those extra costs and compromise the number of panels in recognition of our location in a historic district. We explored the possibility of solar shingles but learned that option is not feasible. We sought bids through EnergySage, a marketplace created by the U.S. Department of Energy and staffed by independent solar energy advisors. EnergySage distributes requests for proposals to approximately 3,000 installers nationwide. We specifically requested proposals for solar shingles. We were informed by installers and by the independent experts at EnergySage that solar shingles are not readily available and are not yet ready for prime time. Just to make sure of that, we directly contacted a solar shingle manufacturer in Michigan and spoke with the CEO. He offered to sell us shingles – at a far higher cost than solar panels -- but was not able to install them or identify an installer who is familiar with them. And the shingles were designed for a Bermuda-style roof, which is not consistent with the style of our home. In the end, it was clear to us that the black solar panels proposed by Windfree Solar would be the most attractive, as well as the most tried-and-true, option for our home.