Design Review for Solar Panels

Landmark Preservation reviews applications for the installation of solar panels on all individual landmarks and properties within a historic district to ensure consistency with the appropriate design standards and guidelines.

Determine which design guidelines apply

Your location and type of project determines which design standards and guidelines you should follow. If you are unsure about whether your project is in a historic district, check the landmark and historic districts map.

In certain neighborhoods and historic districts, additional customized design guidelines may apply.

If you use assistive technology and need help accessing the content in these documents, please contact landmark@denvergov.org.

Required documents

Design review applications must adequately describe the project and provide sufficient information to evaluate the proposal. Documentation must clearly illustrate the existing conditions as well as any proposed work.

All applications for solar panels must include the following information:

Application

Download the landmark design review application and checklist(PDF, 1MB)

Photos

Photographs of existing conditions showing the existing building, roof, and surroundings are required and must be:

  • In color
  • Labeled with direction and orientation to the street
  • No smaller than 4"x6" in size (or between 1024 x 768 pixels and 1280 x 960 pixels)
  • Arranged on one or more sheets within the drawing set (PDF format), with each image clearly labeled

For examples of acceptable photos and tips for taking good photos, download Landmark Standards for Photographs(PDF, 590KB) and the Photo Page Example(PDF, 999KB).

Site Plan

All projects must submit a dimensioned and scaled site plan including:

  • Street address
  • North arrow
  • Scale
  • Location of streets, sidewalks, alleys (including any right-of-way or easement), property lines, and all existing structures
  • Location of proposed solar panels
  • Location of all proposed electrical equipment associated with the solar panels
  • Location of existing fences, retaining walls, exterior stairways and ramps, driveways, mechanical equipment, etc. 

Roof Plan

Submit existing and proposed roof plans that include the following:

  • Street address
  • North arrow
  • Scale (plans must be drawn to a measurable scale) 
  • Major dimensions of the building(s) on which the solar panels will be installed
  • Existing roofing materials 
  • Proposed arrangement of solar panels 
  • Dimensions of panels and distance from the roof ridge(s) and eaves
  • Indication of front 1/3 and rear 2/3 of main roof of the building on which the solar panels will be installed.
    • Do not include: porch roofs that are not engaged with the main roof of the house, or the roofs of non-historic additions in the roof calculations
  • Major roof protrusions (chimneys, mechanical vents, skylights)

Details of Construction

The following details of construction are required:

  • Enlarged section details showing installation of the panels on the roof, with dimensions and material information
  • Information about removal and on-site storage of any clay or concrete roof tiles, if existing, to accommodate installation of the solar panels 

Ready to apply?

View design review application instructions

Visual Examples

solar panel drawing example

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