The Town of Ithaca has enacted a section on Solar Access within its chapter on the subdivision of land. The section is a short one, but vests power to the Planning Board to require a subdivision to be platted “so as to preserve or enhance solar access for either passive or active systems.” The Planning Board may also mandate site plan modifications if it determines that the solar orientation of the development needs improvement.

The Town of Ithaca has also included a section solely on solar collectors and installation within its Zoning Chapter. According to the section, rooftop and building-mounted solar collectors are permitted in all zoning districts but require a building permit before installation. Ground-mounted and free standing solar collectors are permitted as accessory structures in all zoning districts, subject to a number of requirements. Those requirements include location, height, and total surface area regulations. Similar to rooftop and building-mounted solar collectors, ground-mounted and free standing solar collectors also require a building permit before installation. The section goes on to describe the site plan review for solar collectors and when the property owner must remove a collector.