My name is Danielle and I am a Permit Coordinator here at SunnyMac. I’ve been at SunnyMac for two years, always in the Permitting Department. We have a great team of Permit Coordinators at the company, and each of us ensures applications are submitted timely and accurately to help deliver the highest-quality, most-efficient solar and/or roofing installation possible for customers. Each member of the team focuses on a specific permit type or geographical
location in our service area (DE, MD, NJ and PA). I focus on zoning and construction permits for most of the state of New Jersey and Maryland.
Tell us about your background. What did you do before SunnyMac?
Prior to joining SunnyMac, I worked as an in-house accountant at a construction company, so I was very familiar with aspects of the construction process, terms and processes. I was also used to interacting with municipalities, partners and customers. This experience helped me transition into the role. Permitting is similar to accounting in that both jobs require meticulous attention to detail and accuracy in order to keep processes moving. In accounting, you cannot close the books without ensuring everything perfectly aligns and there is documentation to support each transaction. In Permitting, we must understand which permit approvals are needed, and that exactly match the unique solar installation planset. There is zero room for error, and our customers, contacts and multiple departments at SunnyMac depend on us to get it 100% right.
The Permitting team plays a vital role in the customer’s project, because the project cannot move forward without all permits. SunnyMac is a strong believer that every successful and seamless touchpoint we have with a customer or partner (in this case — township) is a part of our brand. We
believe it is our responsibility and duty to customers and partners to get it right.
What does your day to day look like?
On a typical day, I am pushing initial submissions for multiple types of permitting applications, which go to everyone from HOAs to township boards, depending upon the project. The project can be very routine, such as a standard solar project requiring an AC disconnect, inverter and panels (we need approval for conduits and all wiring and components, too), or a new roof installed by our 50+ person roofing department. The project may also require a main service panel or electrical meter upgrade if either are very old and/or needing to be replaced, which requires a service entrance unarmoured (SEU) or service entrance with reinforcement tape (SER) cables, and sometimes also line taps.
If it is a ground mount solar project, there are other requirements — because we are not within ordinance for zoning, so therefore we must submit a variance application (pre-zoning application) that goes in front of the township’s planning board. Townships have various height restrictions
and distance-from-property requirements. They also want to understand how the sun’s glare may reflect on the panels or the number of detached structures allowed on the property.
We only submit applications we are confident will be approved, so this has required a lot of collaboration and process development with the Design team. We work very closely and so well together, and that teamwork mindset has directly helped make SunnyMac extremely efficient when it comes to permitting. In addition to solar permitting, we also handle roofing permits, which require HOA and building permits. When we install roofing and solar together, the permits include both. Other factors come into play with permitting, such as historical preservation committees, and I am well-versed in getting those types of approvals, too.
Getting permitting approval in a timely manner requires following up. There are reports in place to show the number of days that have passed since a permit has been submitted. Nothing falls by the wayside with the Permitting team. Tech stacks have been custom built to assure we have the most
streamlined and organized process possible.
What’s something you’re proud of?
It’s been so great working hard with other departments and team members from throughout the company over the years. Everyone is dedicated to achieving the highest-quality possible in every way, and making SunnyMac an organization customers can trust to install the best solar system possible in the fastest, most accurate and most efficient way possible. It’s because of all the team members working together, day in and day out, with the customer and our valued partners always top of mind that has made us so successful, as a team and company.
Customers can rest assured that SunnyMac is extremely well-versed in permitting. We have an entire team of experienced team members who have seen everything possible and handle permits on a daily basis. We are able to understand requirements and find design and installation solutions
that fit permit requirements. We have a very high success rate and work nimbly and quickly.
