Source: https://ecode360.com/30893873
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 08:34:22+00:00

Document:
§ 444-3 Establishment of program.
§ 444-6 Opt-in; Energize NY finance agreements.
§ 444-7 Energy audits and renewable energy system feasibility studies required.
§ 444-8 Terms and conditions of repayment.
§ 444-9 Verification and report.
Home improvement and repair — See Ch. 517.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that it is the policy of both the County of Suffolk and the State of New York to achieve energy efficiency and renewable energy goals, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate the effect of global climate change and advance a clean-energy economy. This Legislature also finds and determines that Suffolk County can further these policy goals by providing property-assessed clean energy financing to property owners for the installation of renewable energy systems and energy-efficiency measures. This Legislature further finds and determines that this article would establish a program that will allow the Energy Improvement Corporation, a local development corporation, acting on behalf of the County of Suffolk, pursuant to the municipal agreement to be entered into between the County and Energy Improvement Corporation ("EIC") pursuant to Article 5-G of the New York General Municipal Law, to make funds available to qualified property owners that will be repaid by such property owners through charges on the real properties benefited by such funds, thereby fulfilling the purpose of this article and fulfilling an important public purpose. This Legislature also finds that the County of Suffolk is authorized to implement this sustainable energy loan program, known as "Energize NY Benefit Financing Program," pursuant to Article 5-G of the New York General Municipal Law. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to establish a sustainable energy loan program in the County of Suffolk.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), as defined by Subdivision 2 of § 1851 of the Public Authorities Law, or its successor.
County of Suffolk, State of New York.
The Energy Improvement Corporation, a local development corporation, duly organized under § 1411 of the Not-For-Profit Corporation Law, authorized hereby on behalf of the County to implement the Energize NY Benefit Financing Program by providing funds to qualified property owners (as defined in this article) and providing for repayment of such funds from monies collected by the County tax collecting officer as a charge to be levied on the real property and collected in the same manner and same form as the County property taxes.
A formal evaluation or "assessment" of the energy consumption of a permanent building or structural improvement to real property, conducted by a contractor certified by the Authority, or certified by a certifying entity approved by the Authority, for the purpose of identifying appropriate energy-efficiency improvements that could be made to the property.
Any renovation or retrofitting of a building to reduce energy consumption, such as window and door replacement, lighting, caulking, weather-stripping, air sealing, insulation, heating and cooling system upgrades, and similar improvements, determined to be cost-effective pursuant to criteria established by the Authority, not including lighting measures or household appliances that are not permanently fixed to real property.
An owner of residential or commercial real property located within the boundaries of the County that is determined to be eligible to participate in the Energize NY Benefit Financing Program under the procedures for eligibility set forth under this article.
An energy-generating system for the generation of electric or thermal energy, to be used primarily at such property, except when the qualified property owner is a commercial entity, in which case the system may be used for other properties in addition to the subject property, by means of solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, anaerobic digester gas-to-electricity systems, fuel cell technologies, or other renewable energy technology approved by the Authority, not including the combustion or pyrolysis of solid waste.
An Energize NY Benefit Financing Program is hereby established by the County, whereby EIC, acting on its behalf, pursuant to the municipal agreement, may provide funds to qualified property owners in accordance with the procedures set forth under this article, to finance the acquisition, construction and installation of renewable energy systems and energy-efficiency improvements and the verification of the installation of such systems and improvements.
For funds provided to a qualified property owner which is a commercial entity, not-for-profit organization, or entity other than an individual, EIC shall have the authority to impose requirements on the maximum amount of funds to be provided, which may consider factors including, but not limited to, the property value, projected savings, project costs, and existing indebtedness secured by such property.
For financings made to a qualified property owner who is an individual, the funds provided shall not exceed the lesser of (i) 10% of the appraised value of the real property where the renewable energy systems and/or energy-efficiency improvements will be located, or (ii) the actual cost of installing the renewable energy systems and/or energy-efficiency improvements, including the costs of necessary equipment, materials, and labor and the cost of verification of such systems and improvements.
Any property owner in the County may submit an application to EIC on such forms as have been prepared by EIC and made available to property owners on the website of EIC and on the Suffolk County government website.
Every application submitted by a property owner shall be reviewed by EIC acting on behalf of the County, which shall make a positive or negative determination on such application based upon the criteria for making a financing application enumerated in § 444-5 of this article. EIC may also request further information from the property owner where necessary to aid in its determination.
If a positive determination on an application is made by EIC acting on behalf of the County, the property owner shall be deemed a qualified property owner and shall be eligible to participate in the Energize NY Benefit Financing Program in accordance with the procedure set forth under § 444-6 of this article; provided that in no case shall a property owner that has received funds from another municipal corporation for the acquisition, construction and installation of energy-efficiency improvements and/or renewable energy systems be deemed a qualified property owner.
Such additional criteria, not inconsistent with the criteria set forth above, as the County, or EIC acting on its behalf, may set from time to time.
A qualified property owner may participate in the Energize NY Benefit Financing Program through the execution of an Energize NY Finance Agreement made by and between the qualified property owner and EIC, acting on behalf of the County (the "Energize NY Finance Agreement").
Upon execution of the Energize NY Finance Agreement, the qualified property owner shall be eligible to receive funds from EIC, acting on behalf of the County, for the acquisition, construction, and installation of qualifying renewable energy systems and energy-efficiency improvements; provided the requirements of § 444-7 of this article have been met.
The Energize NY Finance Agreement shall include the terms and conditions of repayment set forth under § 444-8 of this article.
No funds shall be made available for energy-efficiency improvements unless determined to be appropriate through an energy audit.
No funds shall be made available for a renewable energy system unless determined to be feasible through a renewable energy system feasibility study.
The principal amount of the funds paid to the qualified property owner hereunder, together with the interest thereon, shall be paid by the property owner as a charge on his/her real property tax bill and shall be levied and collected at the same time and in the same manner as County property taxes, provided that such charge shall be separately listed on the tax bill. The County shall make payment to EIC or its designee in the amount of all such separately listed charges within 30 days of the date payment is due to be made to the County.
The term of such repayment shall be determined at the time the Energize NY Finance Agreement is executed by the property owner and EIC, provided that in no case shall the term exceed the weighted average of the useful life of the systems and improvements as determined by EIC acting on behalf of the County.
The rate of interest for the charge shall be fixed by EIC, acting on behalf of the County, at the time the Energize NY Finance Agreement is executed by the property owner and EIC.
The charge shall constitute a lien upon the real property benefited by the Energize NY Benefit Financing Program as set forth in Article 5-L of the General Municipal Law and shall run with the land. A transferee of title to the benefited real property shall be required to pay any future installments, including interest thereon.
EIC shall be responsible for verifying and reporting to the County on the installation and performance of renewable energy systems and energy-efficiency improvements financed by such program.
The County shall verify and report on the installation and performance of renewable energy systems and energy-efficiency improvements financed by the Energize NY Benefit Financing Program in such form and manner as the Authority may establish.
This article shall take effect 120 days after its filing in the Office of the Secretary of State.

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 § 1851
 § 1411
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