Going green with solar panels or EV chargers? North Hempstead will fast track permits
The Town of North Hempstead will fast track permits for electric vehicle charging stations, as pictured here in New Hyde Park last year, and solar panels under a newly-approved measure.
Credit: Danielle Silverman
North Hempstead homeowners could have a quicker experience getting permits for solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations after the town board approved a measure that will expedite permit application reviews.
The new law authorizes the fast-track review for solar installations, electric vehicle charging stations and related equipment, including battery backup. The permit application will be reviewed by the building department within 14 days of filing.
The board unanimously passed the resolution 7-0 at a meeting this month.
"This new law is a crucial step forward in our journey toward a more sustainable and resilient future,” Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey said in a statement. “It is imperative that North Hempstead empowers its residents to go green and embrace clean energy solutions. We are proud to be at the forefront of this important change."
In 2022, North Hempstead issued 325 permits for EV charging stations and solar panel installations, including both residential and commercial properties, according to town spokesman Gordon Tepper. The average time between the filing of the application and issuance of a permit last year was about 56 days, he noted.
There currently are more than 127,000 electric vehicles registered in New York, according to state Department of Motor Vehicles data. In Nassau there are almost 17,000 electric vehicles registered and there are nearly 18,500 in Suffolk.
The cost to power an electric vehicle over an estimated 15 years can be as much as $14,480 lower than fueling a gas-powered vehicle, according to a study from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Idaho National Laboratory.
North Hempstead officials announced last October that a $500,000 grant would allow the town to install 30 Level 2 EV chargers, which require a 240-volt power outlet and can fully charge a car in four to eight hours.
Former State Sen. Anna Kaplan (D-North Hills), who announced the funding, said the locations being considered are Clinton G. Martin Park and Michael J. Tully Park, both in New Hyde Park; Town Dock and North Hempstead Beach Park in Port Washington; Mary Jane Davies Green in Manhasset; Clark Botanic Gardens in Albertson; and the Yes We Can Community Center in Westbury.
Tepper said the town has “not been told specifically” when the money for the project will arrive.
North Hempstead homeowners could have a quicker experience getting permits for solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations after the town board approved a measure that will expedite permit application reviews.
The new law authorizes the fast-track review for solar installations, electric vehicle charging stations and related equipment, including battery backup. The permit application will be reviewed by the building department within 14 days of filing.
The board unanimously passed the resolution 7-0 at a meeting this month.
"This new law is a crucial step forward in our journey toward a more sustainable and resilient future,” Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey said in a statement. “It is imperative that North Hempstead empowers its residents to go green and embrace clean energy solutions. We are proud to be at the forefront of this important change."
In 2022, North Hempstead issued 325 permits for EV charging stations and solar panel installations, including both residential and commercial properties, according to town spokesman Gordon Tepper. The average time between the filing of the application and issuance of a permit last year was about 56 days, he noted.
There currently are more than 127,000 electric vehicles registered in New York, according to state Department of Motor Vehicles data. In Nassau there are almost 17,000 electric vehicles registered and there are nearly 18,500 in Suffolk.
The cost to power an electric vehicle over an estimated 15 years can be as much as $14,480 lower than fueling a gas-powered vehicle, according to a study from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Idaho National Laboratory.
North Hempstead officials announced last October that a $500,000 grant would allow the town to install 30 Level 2 EV chargers, which require a 240-volt power outlet and can fully charge a car in four to eight hours.
Former State Sen. Anna Kaplan (D-North Hills), who announced the funding, said the locations being considered are Clinton G. Martin Park and Michael J. Tully Park, both in New Hyde Park; Town Dock and North Hempstead Beach Park in Port Washington; Mary Jane Davies Green in Manhasset; Clark Botanic Gardens in Albertson; and the Yes We Can Community Center in Westbury.
Tepper said the town has “not been told specifically” when the money for the project will arrive.
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.
