Solar project gets conditional approval

The Cypress Creek solar energy project is close to receiving a certificate of occupancy from the town but still must obtain an easement for water service still must pay the town for repairs that were needed to solve drainage problems.

The town Planning Board set those conditions Monday for final approval of Cypress Creek Renewables’ 2-megawatt solar power installation.

“We can give you conditional approval, but those two issues will have to be addressed before you can actually get” the certificate of occupancy, Planning Board Chairman John Konior told company representatives.

Cypress Creek still owes the town $398.08 for corrective work the Highway Department did when the company’s project site on Halihan Hill Road had drainage problems that impacted neighboring properties.

The company already has paid $2,000 toward the cost of the work. The remainder that’s owed is the balance.

Cypress Creek applied in 2017 to create the 2-megawatt system on 13 acres of a 49-acre property. The planned array is part of a community solar project intended to provide customers with a choice about the purchase of electricity.

The company was given site-plan approval by the town, but the project was plagued by drainage problems when work was largely completed last year.

After concerns were raised by both neighbors and Ulster County officials, who said flooding resulted in problems on nearby roads, town of Kingston officials required that a new site plan be submitted before the project could connect to the power grid.

Among revisions to the site plan are establishing swales to divert water to retention ponds, planting grass to prevent soil erosion, and creating gaps in fencing to allow wildlife movement in and out of the solar array area.

Town officials have said geological issues apparently played a role in stormwater runoff at the array site.