I had asked the Guilford Association if they had a position on solar, and I was told that they would not likely approve it. This seems incredibly shortsighted to me! I know there has been an effort around the country to override any homeowners association limits to solar panels, but the MD law is unclear. It appears to require homeowners associations to allow solar except in historic districts.

I'm a by-the-book historic preservation consultant. Solar panels are fine as long as they cannot be seen from the street. Even the Governor's Mansion in Annapolis is getting them.

This is why people shouldn't form homeowners associations (although there have been multiple court cases where a homeowners association's "rules" have been tossed out if taken to court). We don't have one in our Rockville neighborhood, which means our neighbor 3 doors down can paint his house pink (which he did), but it also means if I want to install solar on my roof, I can. I'll take the pink house eye soar as a cost of having property right freedoms for my home any day.

How frustrating. It's not like solar panels are a huge distraction. It really bothers me that communities are more focused on appearances. It really does raise the value of a house to have green improvements. In the recession you'd think they'd want to help their homes retain value.

I'm a huge fan of solar energy and solar panels but I must admit on this house it does look gaudy. The panels are irregularly spaced and don't match.

Luckily, Maryland homeowners are protected by law against these restrictions. Check out HB-117, signed into law in spring of 2008. http://mlis.state.md.us/2008RS/fnotes/bil_0007/hb0117.pdf

Basically, if you own your roof, your home owner's association cannot impede you from adding solar electric or solar thermal panels.

If your neighbors don't like solar panels, then I guess they'll be okay with the rolling blackouts that are soon to come as the grid continues to get overloaded.

I cannot understand why we accept that if you purchase a piece of land or property, barring doing something unsafe, you shouldn't be able to do as you please with your property. All of these "groups" and "organizations" and you have to join this and you have to be part of that, to me is problematic in many ways. Most things you buy, once they are purchased, they are yours and you can do what you please with them. I understand that some will argue that what you do to one house will affect the others property values, but to me, it would make more sense if these types of communities where you have to follow strict rules or guidelines should be the minority of communities. It seems like nowadays, you can't live hardly anywhere without HAVING to join an association. You should always have the choice to do as you'd like and if someone else wants strict rules and guidelines, they should have to move into more exclusive communities, not the other way around. Everybody having to be in groups and clubs and associations, to me, is a big reason why the world is the way it is. So much red tape and beauracracy that everything is slowed to a grind or halted completely. Whatever happened to living in a free society...oh yeah, no such thing.

I live in the Mt.Vernon Belvedere historic district.

Storm windows are no longer allowed and thermopane windows do not qualify for an historic tax credit.

Folks across the street got a tax credit for restoring their old wood windows, now they keep the shutters and blinds closed all day to keep out the summer heat and in the winter to keep out the cold, they say it is unbearable.

I cannot claim a tax credit for using decking boards made of recyled wood and plastic. I cannot claim a historic tax credit for using vinyl windows, even if only located on the back of my house. I installed a railing made of recyled vinyl extrusion over aluminium because it looked identical to the old wood railing and is stronger, however it does not qualify.

Historic tax credits will become a thing of the past as property owners choose energy conservation and efficiency over the traditional trappings of the inferior and energy in-efficient materials of the past.

When will CHAP realize that city dwellers cannot afford to heat and cool inefficient old houses purely for the aesthetic effect of historic "correctness".

The photo of the delapidated house with solar panels in the article is perhaps the worse possible excuse for "architecture" I've ever seen. However, . . . .

I live in the Mt.Vernon Belvedere historic district in Baltimore City.

Storm windows are no longer allowed and thermopane windows do not always qualify for an historic tax credit.

Folks living in restore townhouse condos across the street got a tax credit for restoring their old wood windows, now they keep the shutters and blinds closed all day to keep out the summer heat and in the winter to keep out the cold, they say it is unbearable.

I cannot claim a tax credit for using decking boards made of recyled wood and plastic, even though one cannot see them from the street.

I cannot claim a historic tax credit for using vinyl windows, even if only located on the back of my house.

I installed a railing made of recyled vinyl extrusion over aluminium because the profile was identical to the rotted wood railing that I installed 18 years ago, with CHAP's blessings. The new railing is much stronger, however it does not qualify.

Historic tax credits will become a thing of the past as property owners choose energy conservation and efficiency over the traditional trappings of the inferior designs and energy in-efficient materials of the past. Not all things old are good for the environment. The one thing for certain is that history is not static, it is always changing.

When will CHAP realize that city dwellers cannot afford to heat and cool inefficient old houses purely for the aesthetic effect of historic "correctness".

Surely there is room for compromise.

I am tired of homeowners associations. They are supposed to be in place to help the people in a particular community maintain their property values. But, most of the time I feel that they harass people, more than help people. For the longest time, my community's HOA wouldn't let my neighbor install a deck with composite decking, because they felt that it would not match other people's decks in the community. Composite decking is better for the environment, since you don't to clean it with chemicals or stain it. It is a shame that when people are trying to protect the environment, something that is supposed to help a community stands in their way.

#1 the home in the pic.. needs more work. #2 the panels are a mix of solar elec. and solar thermal. I don't know of anyone who makes matching panels ( hey anyone at my old company (BP Solar) Listening? ...We made good stuff. Even when ENRON was a partner, before BP

Homeowners Associations= little kingdoms for little kings (or queens).

I am so glad I have never lived under the auspices of a community association. Preventing citizens from installing solar panels for fear of bad aesthetics is reprehensible. I love mismatched "Stuff".

Ken - Thanks for the tip about the law!!

My HOA won't even let us install rain barrels for pete's sake! I'm starting an enviro group in the neighborhood and plan to bring in speakers through Green Building Inst. to change our HOA policies. It's getting a little ridiculous that "beauty" is coming before what is social responsible. There are rain barrels that are attractive.. solar panels are getting smaller.

I think we need a state law prohibiting community associations from creating rules that keep people from engaging in environmentally sound activities. So clothes lines would have to be allowed, no one could dictate that your lawn needs to be kept a certain way (usually short and green and grassy-- none of which are usualyl good for the environment), solar panels and wind power would be allowed, etc. Obviously the law would need to be well thought out and well constructed, but we need to advance the concept at the state level to reign in these neighborhood association dinosaurs.

I have applied for HOA permit for solar pv system , My builder ( Ryland Homes) and HOA ( Tide water Property Management) rejected.
I have appealed that denial with MD state law one week ago, still I did not hear from them.

Maryland solar law
http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=MD01R&re=1&ee=1

I live in the historic district of Snow Hill MD, a town with many historic properties in pristine condition. I worked with the town to determine if permits, zoning and historic approval was needed to proceed with a solar thermal heat/hot water system could be installed on my home. After work began, a neighbor complained and a stop work order was issued. To my knowledge, solar/thermal energy applications were patented in the 1700's and practical collectors were seen in houses in the late 1800's. Now, I face a review from our all volunteer historic district committee but I believe they cannot stop the project. Yes, and unfortunately for the house, the only possible location for the evacuated tubes is on the front of the house facing south. I agree that if another placement was possible, i would consider that with regard to historic district guidelines. My real concern is that Americans, Marylanders and locals say they want green energy, but do little to achieve it. It is estiamted that I will reduce my water heating costs by 94% and heating costs by 65% with this system. With tax credits, I estimate payoff at between 8 and 10 years, only half way through the warranty period for the system. I would like to become the poster child for practical application of solar heat for older homes.
Is there any state law or federal law that would "trump" my neighbor's desire to not reside next to an "industrial, postapocalyptic" structure with the only clear site line originating from the sidewalk in front of his house and from mine? How ridiculous!