It has been heralded by many as the future of eco-friendly construction, touted as a template for responsible home building and promoted as showcase for alternative energy.

Turns out, the Green idea House may also block neighbors’ views.

And so a solar saga is flaring in Hermosa Beach among the eco-minded homeowner reconstructing the energy-efficient oasis and the neighbors who say that although he’s killed their sprawling ocean views, the city is to blame.

Robert Fortunado began a landmark retrofit of his Prospect Avenue home, dubbed the Green idea House, in October. since then, Hermosa Beach city officials have proclaimed the project to be a shining example of the future of cost-effective, eco-friendly home building and construction.

Once completed, the home will be among the first private residences in the South Bay to be entirely energy-neutral. the home, which came with a construction budget of $400,000, will be stocked with energy-efficient lighting and appliances. An organic garden will sprout from the backyard.

And to harness the sun, 27 solar panels will sit on two of the multilevel home’s roofs.

But neighbors, pointing to where the solar panels will be, contend the home has come at a significant price to them: their world-class views.

So they are lobbying Hermosa Beach officials to develop a policy that will put limits on how high solar panels can extend above the city’s already-established restrictions on building heights.

“The value of our property is the view. now that’s gone,” said Dana Korbin, a 30-year resident of Golden Avenue who lives directly behind Fortundao’s home. “I would hate to have this happen to someone else.”

The Hermosa Beach City Council adopted California’s Solar Rights Act in 2008, which was crafted by state lawmakers to promote alternative energy use. Among the stipulations in the legislation is that local governments cannot restrict the installation of solar energy systems based on aesthetics. Under the law, restrictions only can be placed on solar panel installations if they pose health or safety risks.

Hermosa Beach city officials maintain that by not establishing a height restriction, the city is avoiding potential lawsuits.

“We’re not looking to circumvent or change state law,” said Mayor Howard Fishman, who has 14 solar panels installed on the roof of his own home. “We’re in compliance. That’s a safe place to be.”

Rich Halliburton, another Golden Avenue resident who has views of the Peninsula and Catalina blocked by the construction of Fortunado’s 2,100-square-foot home, was the first to publicly raise the issue, appearing in front the city’s planning commission on Aug. 16 and asking the town to develop a new solar policy.

He argues that the city adopted the state solar law too quickly before implementing any height restrictions.

“In Hermosa Beach’s rush to be ahead of the curve, this is what we end up with,” Halliburton said.

Unlike Hermosa, Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach do have restrictions on how high solar panels can extend from roofs. Manhattan Beach has a 12-inch restriction above the city’s existing roofline, while the Redondo Beach Municipal Code allows for a maximum 4-foot projection above height limits for roof equipment.

“The city of Manhattan Beach established what we thought was reasonable limit,” said Richard Thompson, the city’s development director.

Hermosa’s story comes as solar panels, which convert sunlight to electricity through crystal silicone `solar’ cells, become increasingly popular among eco-friendly homeowners and those looking to save on energy costs.

And as alternative energy sources become increasingly popular – and more affordable – environmentally conscious homeowners have clashed with their neighbors and homeowner associations over the use of solar panels.

In Palos Verdes Estates, a solar panel installer won approval from city officials in 2009 to install an array of solar panels on a home near Palos Verdes Golf Club after the city’s Art Jury, a quasi-governmental body that reviews building plans, rejected the permit because of the aesthetic qualities of the panels.

And although disputes over view obstructions can be relatively common in a region where home values are closely tied to views they offer, the solar issue in Hermosa is unusual because it raises the question about whether homeowners with dazzling views should be compensated for their loss if their views are obstructed by alternative energy equipment.

Hermosa’s elected leaders have aggressively pushed eco-friendly initiatives – waiving permit fees for solar panel and wind turbine installations – yet said they realize sweeping ocean views come at a premium and recognize the allure they have on both potential homebuyers and longtime residents. Fishman said that in the face of state law, there is little city officials can do.

“We’re doing what we can do to provide incentives to residents and businesses to go green,” Fishman said. “Yes, there may be some disputes. I think anything you try to do to reduce the carbon footprint may get controversy. All we can do is hope people see the bigger picture.”

Fortunado said that placing height restrictions on solar panels could deter people from using the alternative energy source.

“The fact is, there just aren’t enough people adopting solar, period,” Fortunado said.

But neighbors argue that until a height restriction is put in place, more residents could be losing one of the city’s main draws. Korbin said the construction of Fortunado’s home has caused her so much concern that she is moving to Redondo Beach.

“I don’t know if they’re going to be clean or if they’re going to cause glare,” Korbin said of the panels. “They’ve knocked off hundred of thousands of dollars off my property value.”

Fortunado, who has owned the property for 16 years, has spent the last several weeks on the defensive, arguing that his new home will be built under the city’s 25-foot height limit, and only two solar panels – when tilted at 15 degrees – will breech the limit, and by just several inches. the solar panels have yet to be installed, and Fortunado expects the home to be completed by the end of the year.

“I think we were the center and the subject of a firestorm,” said Fortunado, adding that he has reached out to residents to explain his construction plan and worked to keep as much of his neighbors views as possible. “Anytime you lose something you’ve had for 16 years, that kind of reaction is understandable.”

douglas.morino@dailybreeze.com

Neighbors fear solar panels on Hermosa Beach green house will block views