The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Residents question solar array ruling
Baker’s Reservoir neighbors continue pushing for the city and gro Solar to relocate a planned solar farm.
ONEIDA>> The solar array intended for the Baker’s Reservoir site was again the topic of discussion at Tuesday night’s Oneida Common Council meeting.
Upon learning of Judge Kevin Dowd’s decision to dismiss their petition attempting to block the installation of gro-Solar’s planned array, residents of the Oneida Heights and Baker’s Reservoir provided the council with their latest position regarding the development.
Jill Christian-Lynch read a prepared statement fromthe Oneida Heights group, expressing their disappointment with Dowd’s decision.
“We are reviewing the court’s decision and determining our next steps. It is noteworthy that the judge’s decision was based solely on the 120-day statute of limitations on Common Council actions. Former Mayor Max Smith
and a few key city employees kept the details of this project hidden from the public and even members of the Common Council until after 120 days had passed,” their statement reads. “We continue to maintain that a commercial solar power plant should not be placed in any residential neighborhood. We are encouraged that gro Solar has started to evaluate a location that is not in a residential neighborhood. We believe that location offers many benefits not found at the reservoir site, and encourage the common council to pursue directing the solar power plant to the alternate site.”
They requested the mayor and common council “continue to monitor” the information gathered by gro Solar regarding alternative sites. Specifically, the Baker’s Reservoir neighbors questioned gro Solar’s finding that the alternative site behind Lowe’s contains 30 to 40 percent wetlands, therefore making it an unfeasible location for the solar array.
gro Solar Director of Marketing Maribeth Sawchuk, in an email, explained there are other factors to consider when determining an alternate site and said the solar firm was working with Mayor Leo Matzke to address the concerns of Baker’s Reservoir neighbors.
“gro Solar has engaged a local professional surveying company to provide a report of the Lowe’s Site. This is one of many pieces of information gathered to assess a site’s development feasibility. We are working vigorously to assess this alternative site’s development potential and are working closely with Mayor Matzke as we interpret the results. At this stage, we have not yet concluded whether the Lowe’s site will be a feasible alternative, but we continue to work diligently to make that determination in partnership with the Mayor’s office,” she said.
Christian-Lynch also asked the council and the mayor not to make history in the field of renewable energy. She said there are no other municipalities in America that have solar arrays placed 50 to 150 feet from a residential district.
“We are respectfully asking the common council and mayor not to make Oneida the first,” she said.
Matzke said the city would continue to work with gro Solar as they investigate alternative sites, especially the one behind Lowe’s. Matzke informed the Oneida Heights neighbors that he had walked the location himself and again with city engineer Jon Rauscher.
Regardless of which group, gro Solar or the Oneida Heights neighbors, is correct regarding the extent of the wetlands at the Lowe’s site, there is another obstacle to overcome before a solar array could be installed.
City attorney Nadine Bell said the Lowe’s site comes with the added complication of restrictive covenants. Essentially, Lowe’s is the only organization that could approve the installation of an array.
“Anyone would not have the right to place a solar array on the parcel,” Bell said. She added that in order for the city to move forward placing a solar array there, it would have to receive approval from Lowe’s.
The neighbors also asked the city to make sure the planning commission followed its own rules and regulations in regards to holding a public hearing when the solar firm needs to reapply for a conditional use permit, something they do not feel was done under the previous administration.
Christian-Lynch concluded by saying, “We appreciate the move to make things transparent.”
After the meeting, the Oneida Heights neighbors revealed that gro Solar had been sold to another company, but Sawchuk said the transition would not impact the city’s planned solar array.
“Recently, gro Solar was excited to join the EDF family of companies. While we are pleased to have the support and industry knowledge of EDF Renewable Energy, this transaction will have no impact to gro-Solar operations or the way we will continue to deliver valuable distributed solar projects to our customers,” Sawchuk said.
In other council news, the council received and placed on file a positive recommendation fromthe city planning commission and the Madison County Planning Department regarding the number of signs a business can display in the city. The amendment will increase the number of signs allowed per business. There will be a public hearing held on May 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the common council chambers.
The council also voted in favor of increasing the hourly wage of crossing guards throughout the city.
Matzke said it was a small way of saying thank you that would only cost the city $400.
Madison County Supervisors Joe Magliocca and John Rheindhart were present at the meeting.
Councilors Helen Acker and Jim Chamberlain were absent.