Under the proposed photo voltaic vitality facility regulation, builders should present the town with a security administration plan, pay a group host charge and upfront funding to decommission the producing methods. vitality earlier than receiving a allow to construct a photo voltaic array.
“The function of this regulation is to offer for the siting, improvement, and decommissioning of photo voltaic vitality methods underneath affordable situations to reduce potential impacts on adjoining properties, whereas selling efficient and environment friendly use of photo voltaic vitality sources,†the proposed regulation reads.
A public listening to on the proposal, which has been developed for greater than a yr by a particular committee, is scheduled to happen on June 12 on the Rotterdam Town Hall beginning at 7 pm.
Rotterdam lawmakers authorized Stewart’s zoning change
Solar vitality methods have change into a rising concern for some residents of Rotterdam who’ve expressed issues that the state’s rising curiosity in photo voltaic may result in the destruction of scenic views, disturbance of pure habitats and finally result in a discount within the high quality of life.
Others additionally say they’re involved about lowered property values ​​if an array is put in close to their houses.
Lawmakers carried out a moratorium on massive photo voltaic arrays in December 2022 because of issues and a particular committee was appointed to draft new rules a number of weeks in the past. The city’s Energy Advisory Committee has been assembly month-to-month for greater than a yr to develop new photo voltaic rules.
The ultimate result’s a 36-page proposal that covers the whole lot from roof-mounted photo voltaic methods to large-scale arrays as much as 25-megawatts. All methods should have a building allow issued by the town.
Under the regulation, photo voltaic methods are damaged into tiers primarily based on their measurement. Tier 1 contains roof-mounted methods; Tier 2 contains ground-mounted arrays as much as 24 kilowatts; Tier 3 requires ground-mounted methods with a capability of as much as 5 megawatts; and Tier 4 bigger methods as much as 25 megawatts.
Tiers 1 via 3 methods are permitted in all zoning districts, whereas bigger Tier 4 methods are restricted to the town’s industrial zoning districts.
The proposal requires setbacks and pure buffers for all ground-mounted arrays, which have to be situated in areas owned by a property proprietor and “not be situated on a couple of aspect of a public road, no matter possession of the property or municipality,†€ based on the regulation.
Residents present suggestions on Schenectady’s DRI plans
Developers behind Tier 4 methods should additionally pay an “open house public profit fee†of $7,000 per hectare of land designated for parkland and open house preservation. The charge could also be lowered to $2,500 upon suggestion of the Planning Commission and approval of the Town Board.
“Tier 4 Solar Energy Systems represent a novel land use that impacts the City’s means to keep up its suburban and rural aesthetic and occupies massive quantities of inexperienced house whereas reworking open and / or agricultural lands with the potential for extra applicable improvement,†the proposed regulation reads.
Tier 3 and 4 methods should additionally submit a upkeep and security plan and safe a efficiency bond or money escrow that names the town as a beneficiary. The municipality will use that fund to keep up the system if the operator fails to adjust to the upkeep necessities set forth within the regulation.
In addition, operators should additionally submit a decommission plan to the municipality earlier than receiving a constructing allow. The plan should define how the property can be returned to its pure state as soon as the photo voltaic array is eliminated and embody a monetary assure of 150% of the decommissioning value together with a 2% annual improve or regardless of the charge of inflation. The city has the best to regulate the surety charge each 5 years, based on the proposal.
The total regulation could be checked on the town of Rotterdam web site.
