COCONINO COUNTY — Department of Community Development 2500 North Fort Valley Road, Building 1, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 Phone: (928) 679-8850 Fax: (928) 679-8851 Coconino County Rev. 01/28/2008 MEMORANDUM OF CODE COMPLIANCE DATE: May 5, 2006 TO: Contractors, Developers, Owner Builders, and Manufactured Home Dealers and Installers FROM: John Farnol – Chief Building Official REGARDS: Code requirements for Battery Storage Sheds with photovoltaic electric systems and Pump Houses. This correspondence is to explain the code requirements for accessory buildings that are used for providing utility electric power or water service at parcels of land that are off of the electric power grid, where the water is hauled or provided by a well and other locations with similar installations. The code requirements are as follows: BATTERY STORAGE SHEDS Structures that support and contain electric equipment in conjunction with solar photovoltaic electric systems shall be considered to be part of the primary electric power supply for the parcel of land and shall be built to code as permanent. Battery storage sheds with the associated photovoltaic electric systems whether attached to the primary structure or detached will require a building permit regardless of the size of the shed. Battery storage sheds that are attached to a residence or any primary structure shall be built of fire-resistive construction. The shed shall be provided with adequate hi and low ventilation sized and installed according to nationally excepted standards. Batteries located in a garage shall be installed in a separate room built of fire-resistive construction. The batteries shall be installed on a platform 18 inches above the garage floor. The battery storage shed shall be placed on a permanent foundation preferably of a concrete turndown with a slab. The turndown footings shall extend 18 inches minimum into undisturbed soil or 30 inches when attached to the residence and the footings shall be reinforced according to County requirements. When the shed is constructed on a wood floor the foundation shall be constructed on a stem wall or on permanent piers, with footing depths as indicated above. When the shed is constructed on a wood floor the floor framing members including girders, floor joists and floor sheathing shall be designed to support a 125 pounds per square foot uniform live load. As an exception sheds that are 120 square feet maximum may be grade set on ground supported pressure treated girders. The structure shall be elevated so no wood is within 6 inches to grade unless the wood is pressure treated. The structure shall be anchored to the ground with at least 6 manufactured home type anchors. The floor framing shall be designed to support a 125 pounds per square foot uniform live load. The electric wiring penetrating out of the ground and into the building shall be installed in an approved liquid tight flexible conduit method. No solar photovoltaic array panels shall be allowed on the roof of these structures.