HomeMy WebLinkAboutLocal Law 2015-2 filing form.pdf
New York State Department of State
Division of Corporations, State Records and Uniform Commercial Code
One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12231-0001
www.dos.state.ny.us/corps
Local Law Filing
Text of law should be given as amended. Do not include matter being eliminated and do not use italics or underlining to
indicate new matter.
County City Town X Village
(Select one:)
of _Village of Cayuga Heights
Local Law No. 2 of the Year 2015
A LOCAL LAW TO ESTABLISH A MORATORIUM ON THE INSTALLATION OF SOLAR
ENERGY FACILITIES ON THE GROUND
Be it enacted by the Board of Trustees of the
County City Town X Village
(Select one:)
of the Village of Cayuga Heights as follows:
See Attached Page 1 and Certification page
VILLAGE OF CAYUGA HEIGHTS
Local Law 2 of the Year 2015
A LOCAL LAW TO ESTABLISH A MORATORIUM ON THE INSTALLATION OF SOLAR
ENERGY FACILITIES ON THE GROUND
Be it enacted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Cayuga Heights as follows:
SECTION I PURPOSE AND INTENT
The purpose of this Local Law is to establish a moratorium on the installation, construction or
development on property in the Village of Cayuga Heights (the “Village”) of solar energy facilities
located on the ground of such property; this moratorium shall not be applicable to the installation,
construction or development on property in the Village of solar energy facilities located on the roofs of
existing improvements. The intent of this Local Law is to provide a temporary, interim measure to halt
the further development of ground solar facilities until such time as the Village has had an opportunity
to research the options for regulation of such facilities and to develop, consider and enact a local law
establishing regulations for the installation of ground solar facilities. The Village desires to enact such a
local law in order to preserve and protect the aesthetic and visual resources of, and the property values
within, the Village by providing certain regulations and restrictions on the location, size and siting of
ground solar facilities within the Village, while enabling such facilities to be developed in the interest of
promoting the development and use of renewable energy sources. During the period in which the
moratorium established by this Local Law is in effect, the Village will evaluate the restrictions
concerning ground solar facilities that are necessary or appropriate to so preserve and protect the
aesthetic and visual resources of, and the property values within, the Village.
SECTION II AUTHORITY
This Local Law is enacted pursuant to the grant of powers to local governments provided in Section 10
of the Municipal Home Rule Law to adopt and amend local laws not inconsistent with the provision of
the New York State Constitution and not inconsistent with any general law relating to its property,
affairs, government or other subjects provided for in said Section 10 of the Municipal home Rule Law.
SECTION III DEFINITIONS
As used in this Local Law, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
A. Ground solar facility - Structures, facilities, systems and/or equipment, or any combination
thereof, including, but not limited to, solar panels and the hardware with or on which such
panels are mounted, the purpose of which is to collect, absorb, concentrate or direct solar
energy, which structures, facilities, systems and/or equipment, or any combination thereof,
are located, installed, constructed or developed on the ground of a parcel, or on a pad or base
substantially on grade with the ground. Ground solar facilities shall not include structures,
facilities, systems and/or equipment, or any combination thereof, that are located, installed,
constructed or developed on or above the roof of an existing improvement.
Page 1
SECTION IV MORATORIUM, RESTRICTIONS AND PROHIBITIONS
From the effective date of this Local Law forward, until the next to occur of (i) the repeal of this Local
Law, (ii) the enactment of a local law by the Village regulating ground solar facilities, or (iii) the date
one (1) year from the date of enactment of this Local Law, it shall be unlawful for any person to install,
construct or develop a ground solar facility on any property in the Village.
SECTION V APPEAL
In the event that any owner of any property located in the Village determines that they are aggrieved by
the moratorium imposed by this Local Law, said owner may apply to the Village’s Board of Zoning
Appeals to seek an area variance for the construction of a ground solar facility on their property, and the
Board of Zoning Appeals shall review such appeal in accordance with the procedural and substantive
requirements of an area variance appeal.
SECTION X PENALTIES FOR OFFENSES
Any person who, themselves or by an agent or employee, shall violate any of the provisions of this
Local Law, shall be guilty of a violation and subject to a fine of not less than $100 and not more than
$500 per offense. Each day’s violation shall constitute a separate offense.
SECTION XI SUPERSEDING EFFECT
All Local Laws, Articles, resolutions, rules, regulations and other enactments of the Village of Cayuga
Heights in conflict with the provisions of this Local Law are hereby superseded to the extent necessary
to give this Local Law full force and effect. Without limiting the foregoing, to any extent that the terms
of the Zoning Ordinance of the Village of Cayuga Heights, including, but not limited to, the terms of
Section 2 thereof, are deemed to be in conflict with the moratorium imposed by this Local Law, the
terms of this Local Law shall govern and control.
SECTION XII PARTIAL INVALIDITY.
In the event that any portion of this Local Law is declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction,
the validity of the remaining portions shall not be affected by such declaration of invalidity.
SECTION XIII EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Local Law shall be effective immediately upon filing in the office of the New York State Sec retary
of State, except that it shall be effective from the date of its service as against a person served with a
copy thereof, certified by the Village Clerk, and showing the date of its passage and entry in the Minutes
of the Village Board of Trustees.
Page 2
I hereby certify that the local law annexed hereto, designated as local law No. 2 of 2015 of
the Village of Cayuga Heights was duly passed by the Board of Trustees on June 15,
2015, in accordance with the applicable Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees
provisions of law.
I further certify that I have compared the preceding local law with the original on file in this
office and that the same is a correct transcript therefrom a nd of the whole of such original local
law, and was finally adopted in the manner indicated in the paragraph above.
____________________________________
Village Clerk & Treasurer
(SEAL) Date: _______________________________
STATE OF NEW YORK }
COUNTY OF TOMPKINS }
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing local law contains the correct text and that
all proper proceedings have been had or taken for the enactment of the local law annexed
hereto.
____________________________________ Signature
Village Attorney __________________________________________________________________________
Title
Village of Cayuga Heights __________________________________________________________________________
Date: __________________________________________