Essex Planning Board denies proposed solar farm special use permit

ESSEX | On April 16, the town's planning board voted 4-2 to deny the special use permit for the proposed 25-acre solar farm at Hickory Hill. "Over the last year or two, we as a planning board have gone through a very detailed and long process, and I'd [personally] like to thank the applicant for working with us," stated Todd Goff, chairman of the Town of Essex Planning Board, during the meeting. "I personally felt that with heavy conditionality, we might be able to reach some sort of compromise for the community; however, compromise never comes easy, and it always has drawbacks." Developed by Community Power Group (CPG), this project involved installing a 25-acre, 3.9-megawatt solar farm with approximately 8,770 panels on an existing field known as "Hickory Hill" — about 850 feet from School Road; 2,400 feet from Elm Street; and 300 and 700 feet from areas of Route 22. Known as a "community solar project," it would've generated enough power for 600 to 800 homes once completed, giving power users served by NYSEF a chance to indirectly tap into the array's energy output in exchange for a 5% to 10% discount on their bills. CPG approached the town with the potential project in January 2023, and officials asked the Washington, D.C.-based company to go through the APA (Adirondack Park Agency) before proceeding any further. After creating a viable project sometime in fall 2024, the CPG returned to the town and reintroduced it. A public hearing was held late last year, during which the planning board and community members expressed their opinions on the project — ultimately deciding then and there to table discussion for a later date. From then until the vote, the planning board worked more closely with the applicant, property owner, and the town to ensure that all necessary documents were completed and that all parties involved fully understood the most up-to-date aspects of the project, in which its members ultimately decided that the proposed solar farm would not move forward. "We know that a lot of people are for solar development in our area, but we also know a lot of people who are against it," said Town of Essex Supervisor Ken Hughes, who, along with the rest of the town board, decided last month to extend its solar moratorium for another six months. "The moratorium will allow us to get more educated on the topic, and we'll see how it all shakes out in September when it expires." Last September, the town passed its initial temporary moratorium on major solar energy systems and battery energy storage systems. The extension of this law further halts the development of proposed solar projects, specifically ground- or roof-mounted energy systems designed and intended to supply energy to a utility grid for off-site consumption and/or for sale to off-site customers. Battery energy storage projects that comprise one or more devices and are capable of storing enough energy to supply electrical energy at a later time, specifically those with energy capacities greater than 600 kilowatt-hours (kWh), are also included. In fact, it was the Hickory Hill project that prompted the town to pass this moratorium in the first place. "I believe some people in the town were upset that the moratorium didn't stop this project," Hughes said. "But the point of this moratorium was to put a pause on other potential projects temporarily, at least until the comprehensive plan is complete." Part of the comprehensive plan aims to evaluate and amend their zoning and local laws related to these uses, determining where exactly solar energy can be produced and where it shouldn't be developed. "The task force has completed their final draft, and it's now in our hands," said Hughes about the 61-page document that now must be reviewed by various entities, like the Planning Board, Adirondack Park Agency (APA), and Essex County. The town board will hold a second public hearing before formally adopting the plan in July. A public hearing regarding the Comprehensive Plan is scheduled for May 14 at 5:30 p.m. at the Essex Town Hall. For more information, updates, or to see a copy of the proposed Comprehensive Plan, visit essexnewyork.com.

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Essex Planning Board denies proposed solar farm special use permit

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