Unofficial summary. This is a community summary of the town's official minutes, provided so the record is searchable and readable. It condenses the meeting and may omit detail. Some private individuals’ personal details have been left out. The official signed PDF is the complete record of authority.
Office of the Planning Board, Town of Schaghticoke — January 8, 2020.
Public hearings
Tyler Fane Subdivision (Tax Map #61-1-20.12, -20.112, -20.116)
Opened 7:30 PM. Mark Danskin, L.S., presented the application of Tyler Fane for a subdivision in a Residential district off NYS Route 40, north of Irish Road. The proposal subdivides 6.36 acres from the Kent Mark Fane parcel, 2.36 acres from the Pat Casale parcel, and 1.11 acres from the Donald Fane parcel, combining them into a single ~9.38 acre building lot with a 50-foot-wide paved easement. All involved landowners consented. The mainly wooded, sloped site would provide “good use of the land.” No public comments. Hearing closed 7:34 PM.
Stillwater Renewables — Viall Solar Farm (Tax Map #22-1-7.1)
Opened 7:34 PM. Dallas Manson, Business Development Representative for Nexamp, Inc. (Boston-based, veteran-founded), presented a proposed 5 MW community solar farm in an RA district on Stillwater Bridge Road, across from the Schaghticoke Fairgrounds. She distinguished utility solar (energy sold commercially) from community solar (energy made available for local use). The owners, Cliff and Gary Viall, plan to subdivide the 140-acre parcel before development, renting the residual land for agriculture. The facility is maintained about two to three times a year and otherwise operates remotely.
Public comments. A town resident asked about local advantages; Ms. Manson said Nexamp intends to hire locally for construction and electrical work, with only electricians retained as-needed afterward. A Bracken Road resident asked whether Nexamp would consult local fire and emergency responders; Ms. Manson said they typically are. Another resident asked about financing, site access, and panel/parcel/building sizes; Ms. Manson said the project is privately financed, access is direct and unpaved (permeable material to reduce runoff), the 3′ × 5′ panels would occupy about 14 acres, and neighbors would not be affected visually. A resident raised the loss of construction jobs after completion; Ms. Manson explained construction employment commonly ends at completion. Written comment was held open until the February 5, 2020 meeting. Hearing closed 7:49 PM.
Herrington Solar Farms (Tax Map #41.-1-96)
Deputy Town Attorney Kristin Pratt recused herself (Eden Renewables is a client of Young Sommer, LLC); Attorney Peter Barber represented the Board and Town. Giovanni Maruce of Eden Renewables presented a proposed community solar farm on a 120-acre parcel in an RA district at 33 Bracken Road, northwest of the Bracken Road / Route 40 intersection. Project engineer Owen Speulstra (Environmental Design Partnership) and project coordinator Jennifer Galavotti were present. The farm, owned by Phil and Ken Herrington, would occupy 32–35 acres located 1,000 feet off the road, providing roughly 1,250 homes with about 11 million kilowatts. Panels (about 200,000, 8 feet high) would rotate on a hydraulic motor to follow the sun, with battery storage; the land would be seeded for pollinators and sheep may graze under the panels. Screening would use a natural mix of deciduous and evergreen plantings; a balloon visual study was done at 8- and 12-foot heights.
Public comments. A Bracken Road resident (who did not identify himself) said he moved there to avoid development and solar farms and receives frequent solar solicitations. A resident identifying himself as a licensed real estate broker suggested siting solar on “ruined land” such as mines and landfills rather than farmland. A local farmer who operates his own community solar farm on Verbeck Avenue spoke in support, citing financial pressure on farms and inviting the public to tour his solar park, though noting roadside poles as his only visual concern. A resident asked whether the solar parcel was 50 acres; Mr. Maruce said about 35 acres, with a permeable access road, underground cables, and 4–5 30-foot transmission poles. A Melrose volunteer firefighter raised fire-protection concerns given limited daytime staffing; Chairman Alessandrini noted fire protection and a decommissioning plan are part of the review. Mr. Maruce explained panels are silicon and require 400 degrees to pose a fire risk (with transformers and batteries at greater risk, batteries kept in an insulated compartmentalized box). A resident asked about glare (expected minimal). A Hansen Road resident asked about panel viability (about 40 years, with a bond held for decommissioning; materials 99% recyclable). A Hansen Road resident asked whether the Town had a plan or moratorium limiting mines and solar farms and raised a concern about heat affecting birds; the chairman directed her to the Town Board, and Mr. Maruce said the bird-wing effect applies to the South, not the Northeast. Several residents raised property-value and marketability concerns; one asked for before/after aerial views, which Mr. Maruce agreed to prepare. Mr. Maruce offered to visit homes to address visual concerns. The hearing closed at 9 PM; written comment open until February 5, 2020.
Regular meeting
Reconvened 9:05 PM. Members present: Chairman Frank Alessandrini, Dan Clow, Brian Davidson, Elizabeth Hale, and Scott Wiley. Wayne Akin and Robert Weir were absent.
- December 4, 2019 minutes approved as submitted (Wiley · Clow — Ayes: Alessandrini, Clow, Davidson, Wiley; Nays: none; Abstention: Hale).
Tyler Fane Subdivision — decision
The Board’s remaining concern was a potential access driveway; Dan Clow shared relevant NYS Fire Code provisions on driveways, and Mr. Danskin said they had walked the property and determined an additional driveway could be added later if needed. The application fee was set at $255 for one subdivision and three subdivision waivers.
- Negative declaration under SEQRA (Wiley · Hale — Ayes: Alessandrini, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Wiley; Nays: none).
- Preliminary subdivision approval (Clow · Davidson — Ayes: Alessandrini, Akin, Clow, Davidson, Hale; Nays: none). The chairman reminded the applicant that if RCHD approval is not received within 6 months, an extension request will be required.
Kardas Farm
No one appeared; a complete application has not been submitted.
Herrington Solar Farms — lead agency
Mr. Speulstra indicated the National Grid poles (considered an eyesore) may be replaced with less obtrusive rectangular transmission boxes, and would contact National Grid; a decommissioning plan and improved visualizations and screening plans will be submitted. Michael Bianchino (Lansing Engineering), representing the Board, recommended a visual-impact review at the next meeting. SEQRA review was set for February. DEC had no objection to the Board assuming lead agency for this Type I action, and no other involved agencies responded.
- Planning Board assumes SEQRA lead agency for the Herrington Solar Farm (Wiley · Clow — Ayes: Alessandrini, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Wiley; Nays: none).
Stillwater Renewables — Viall Solar Farm — lead agency
Ms. Manson added that a swale adjustment would let applicant Gary Viall cross the waterway to access the property. SEQRA review was set for February. Attorney Pratt would provide a sample decommissioning agreement, and the Town’s engineering consultant would provide project comments within a few weeks.
- Planning Board assumes SEQRA lead agency for Stillwater Renewables (Davidson · Wiley — Ayes: Alessandrini, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Wiley; Nays: none).
Adjourned 9:25 PM (Davidson · Clow — Ayes: Alessandrini, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Wiley; Nays: none). Respectfully submitted by Elizabeth Hale, Planning Board Clerk (dated February 5, 2020).
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