HomeMy WebLinkAbout03_YB_Ex 03_Location of Facilities and Surrounding Land Uses
Yellow Barn Solar, LLC
Yellow Barn Solar Project
Matter No. 23-00048
900-2.4 Exhibit 3
Location of Facilities and Surrounding Land Use
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Table of Contents
List of Appendices ........................................................................................................................... 2
List of Figures .................................................................................................................................. 3
Glossary Terms ................................................................................................................................ 4
Acronym List ................................................................................................................................... 5
Exhibit 3: Location of Facilities and Surrounding Land Uses .......................................................... 6
3(a) Topographic Maps ............................................................................................................... 6
(1) Location of Facility Components, Electric Transmission Facility, and Ancillary Features .. 6
(2) Proposed Interconnection Locations ................................................................................. 7
(3) Construction Limits of Clearing and Disturbance............................................................... 7
3(b) Facility Site and Regulatory Boundaries .............................................................................. 7
3(c) Description of the Proposed Facility Location ..................................................................... 8
3(d) Existing Land Use ................................................................................................................. 8
(1) Agricultural Land ............................................................................................................ 10
(2) Residential Land ............................................................................................................. 11
(3) Vacant Land .................................................................................................................... 11
(4) Conservation Programs .................................................................................................. 11
(5) Airports ........................................................................................................................... 12
3(e) Existing Utility Facilities Map and Consultations ............................................................... 12
3(f) Tax Parcel Map ................................................................................................................... 13
3(g) Existing and Proposed Zoning Districts .............................................................................. 13
(1) Town of Dryden .......................................................................................................... 14
(2) Town of Lansing .......................................................................................................... 14
(3) Town of Groton .......................................................................................................... 16
(4) Town of Ithaca ............................................................................................................ 17
(5) Town of Locke ............................................................................................................. 18
(6) Town of Genoa ........................................................................................................... 19
(7) Town of Summerhill ................................................................................................... 19
(8) City of Ithaca ............................................................................................................... 19
(9) Village of Cayuga Heights ........................................................................................... 20
(10) Village of Lansing ........................................................................................................ 21
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(11) Village of Groton ......................................................................................................... 22
(12) Village of Freeville ...................................................................................................... 23
3(h) Adopted Comprehensive Plans .......................................................................................... 24
(1) Town of Lansing NY Comprehensive Plan 2018 ......................................................... 24
(2) Joint Comprehensive Plan for the Village and Town of Groton ................................. 26
(3) Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan ...................................................................... 28
(4) Town of Lansing Agriculture & Farmland Protection Plan ......................................... 29
(5) Tompkins County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan .................................... 31
3(i) Publicly Known Proposed Land Uses .................................................................................. 32
(1) Town of Lansing .......................................................................................................... 32
(2) Town of Groton .......................................................................................................... 32
(3) Town of Ithaca ............................................................................................................ 33
3(j) Map of Designated Areas .................................................................................................... 33
3(k) Maps of Recreational and Other Sensitive Land Uses ....................................................... 34
3(l) Compatibility with Land Uses ............................................................................................. 35
3(m) Qualitative Assessment of Project Compatibility with Existing, Potential, and Proposed
Above-ground Facilities ............................................................................................................. 36
3(n) Qualitative Assessment of Project Compatibility with Existing, Potential, and Proposed
Underground Facilities .............................................................................................................. 37
3(o) Conformance with Coastal Zone Management ................................................................. 38
3(p) Aerial Photographs of All Properties ................................................................................. 38
3(q) Aerial Photograph Overlays ............................................................................................... 39
3(r) Current Land Use ................................................................................................................ 39
3(s) Community Character of the Study Area ........................................................................... 39
3(t) Historic Contamination in the Study Area .......................................................................... 42
3(u) Oil, Gas, and Mining in the Study Area .............................................................................. 42
References .................................................................................................................................... 44
List of Appendices
Appendix 3-A: Freeville Zoning Map
Appendix 3-B: Schedule of Uses
Appendix 3-C: Town of Lansing NY Comprehensive Plan
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Appendix 3-D: Joint Comprehensive Plan for the Village and Town of Groton
Appendix 3-E: Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan
Appendix 3-F: Town of Lansing Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan
Appendix 3-G: Tompkins County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan
Appendix 3-H: Proposed Land Use Consultations
Appendix 3-I: Magnetometer Survey Procedure
List of Figures
Figure 3-1: Project Site, Project Components, and Ancillary Features
Figure 3-2: Municipal Boundaries and Tax Jurisdictions
Figure 3-3: Current Land Use in Study Area
Figure 3-4: Existing Utility Facilities in Study Area
Figure 3-5: Tax Parcel Map 1,000 ft of Project Parcels
Figure 3-6: Zoning Districts
Figure 3-7: Publicly known Proposed Land Uses
Figure 3-8: Designated and Recreational Areas
Figure 3-9: Aerial Photos of the Study Area
Figure 3-10: Magnetometer Survey
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Glossary Terms
Applicant Yellow Barn Solar, LLC, the entity seeking a siting permit
for the Project from the Office of Renewable Energy
Siting (ORES) under Section 94-c of the New York State
Executive Law.
Project The proposed 160 MW solar system to be constructed
for the collection and distribution of energy for the
Yellow Barn Solar Project, which includes solar arrays,
inverters, electric collection lines, and the collection
substation.
Project Components The equipment located on the Project Site, including
panels, racking, above ground and underground wiring,
inverters, access roads, equipment pads, the POI, the
proposed transmission line, and the collector substation
Project Site The area hosting Project components totaling
approximately 754 acres, including panels, racking,
above ground and underground wiring, inverters, access
roads, equipment pads, vegetative plantings, and the
collector substation.
Project Parcels
The parcels encompassing Project components which
totals approximately 1,849 acres in the Towns of Lansing
and Groton, Tompkins County, New York.
Study Area In accordance with the Section 94-c Regulations, the
Study Area for the Project includes a radius of 5 miles
around the boundaries of the Project Parcel, unless
otherwise noted for a specific resource study or Exhibit.
The 5-mile Study Area encompasses 84,338 acres,
inclusive of the Project Site.
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Acronym List
ARFA North Lansing-West Groton Agricultural Resource Focus Area
FRPP National Resources Conservation Service Farm and Ranch Lands
Protection Program
GBBS Grassland Breeding Bird Survey
GIS Geographic Information System
HCA Host Community Agreement
IFP Issued For Permit
ITS Tompkins County Department of Information Technology Services
LGIA Large Generator Interconnection Agreement
LWRP Local Water Restoration Plan
NCBP Net Conservation Benefit Plan
NCED National Conservation Easement Database
NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service
NYCRR New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations
NYISO New York Independent System Operator
NYSDEC New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
NYSEG New York State Electric & Gas
NYSORPS New York Office of Real Property Services
ORES Office of Renewable Energy Siting
PILOT Payment in Lieu Of Taxes
POI Point of Interconnection
ROW Right of Way
RPS Rare Plant Survey
SWPPP Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan
T&E Threated and Endangered
UNAs Unique Natural Areas
USACE United States Army Corps of Engineers
USDA United States Department of Agriculture
USGS United States Geological Survey
VIMMP Visual Impact Minimization and Mitigation Plan
WRS Wintering Raptor Survey
YBS Yellow Barn Solar
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Exhibit 3: Location of Facilities and Surrounding Land Uses
This Exhibit provides information to satisfy the requirements of Chapter XVII, Title 19 of New York
Codes, Rules and Regulations (NYCRR) §900-2.4 of the Section 94-c Regulations including a series
of figures showing the proposed location of Project components relative to existing land uses,
zoning districts, and other information as specified in §900-2.4 with accompanying discussion.
The evaluation includes the Project Parcels as well as the Study Area, five miles from the edge of
the Project Parcels. The Project Site is included in Figures 3-1 and 3-2 to provide clarity on its
relation to the Project Parcels.
3(a) Topographic Maps
The National Map online database maintained by The United States Geological Survey (USGS),
containing historical and recent USGS 7.5-minute (1:24,000) quadrangle topographic maps for
the United States, as well as long cover imagery for the world. The Project is located in the West
Groton, New York, quadrangle, as depicted in Figure 3-1.1 The ESRI “World Street Map” 2021
Online Service Layer is used in multiple figures in this exhibit. This basemap is compiled from a
“variety of authoritative sources from several data providers, including the U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. National Park Service (NPS), Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Department of Natural Resources Canada
(NRCAN), HERE, and Esri”.2 Additionally, for Figures 3-9 and 3-10, Google Maps Online Service
Layer was used as a base map to illustrate the existing topography and land use.
(1) Location of Facility Components, Electric Transmission Facility, and Ancillary Features
The Project Parcels consist of 24 parcels and totals approximately 1,849 acres 3 in size, as more
particularly described in Figure 3-5. All of the land that’s required for the Project is currently
under lease or purchase option from private landowners in the Towns of Lansing and Groton,
Tompkins County, New York as described in Exhibit 4 (Real Property).
1 USGS, “Topographic Maps”
2 ArcGIS, “World Street Map”
3 1,849 acres is the total Project Parcels acreage in Exhibit 3, which comes from the local tax assessment rolls in the
Towns of Lansing and Groton, NY. When calculating the area of the Project Parcels using geospatial data, 1,859 acres
is found, and this value is used in all exhibits where geospatial calculations are made.
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The locations of the Project Parcels, Project Site, Project Components, including solar panel
arrays, electric collection lines, the collection substation, the Point of Interconnection (POI)
substation, inverters, laydown areas, access roads, fence lines, planting modules, and ancillary
features, overlain on USGS mapping (2019), are depicted in Figure 3-1.
(2) Proposed Interconnection Locations
Yellow Barn Solar will connect to National Grid’s existing 115kV transmission line between the
Milliken and Etna substations, line #975, via a new approximately 130-foot 115kV transmission
line extending from the collection substation to the offsite existing transmission line, as shown
in Figure 3-1. The collection substation will be located at the southwest portion of the Project
Site, on the opposite side of the transmission line as the solar arrays. The Project will not require
potable water or wastewater interconnections or stormwater drainage lines.
(3) Construction Limits of Clearing and Disturbance
Proposed areas of vegetative clearing and ground disturbance associated with grading and
installation of Project Components has been minimized to the maximum extent practicable. The
limits and locations of clearing (vegetative) and limit of disturbance4 (858 acres) required for the
Project are shown on Figure 3-1 and in Appendix 5-A (Design Drawings). Additional information
regarding vegetative clearing and vegetation management at the Project Site is presented in
Exhibit 11 (Terrestrial Ecology) of the Application.
3(b) Facility Site and Regulatory Boundaries
Figure 3-2 depicts the Project Parcels and Project Site in relation to the applicable municipal
boundaries and taxing jurisdictions. The Project is within the Towns of Lansing and Groton and is
within the Lansing Central School District and the Groton Central School District. Exhibit 18
provides more detail on how the Project will avoid potential impacts to these school districts,
and Appendix 18-A includes consultations with these school districts.
4 Referred to as Limit of Construction Activity in Appendix 5-A (Design Drawings)
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3(c) Description of the Proposed Facility Location
As described above and shown in Figure 3-2, the Project Parcels are located within the Towns of
Lansing and Groton, in Tompkins County, New York, with approximately 75% of the Project Site
located in Groton and 25% located in Lansing. The Project Parcels are located within the
designated Agricultural Zone (AG) in Lansing and the designated Rural Agricultural (RA) zoning
district in Groton. Additional information pertaining to local zoning designations is provided in
Exhibit 24 (Local Laws and Ordinances) and Section 3(g) below. The nearest village is the Village
of Groton, located approximately 2.15 miles east of the Project Site. The nearest city is the City
of Ithaca, located approximately 6.5 miles southwest of the Project Site. The Project Site is
located within the Lansing Central School District and the Groton Central School District.
Additional information regarding taxing jurisdictions is provided in Exhibit 18 (Socioeconomic
Effects).
The Project Site is located entirely within the New York State Department of Agriculture and
Markets (NYSAGM) Agricultural District 1 in Tompkins County.5 See Exhibit 15 (Agricultural
Resources) for additional information on agricultural districts. Rural residences and other
structures such as farm buildings are located along the boundaries of Project Parcels. Project
features will be located away from residences and other structures in accordance with applicable
local laws and the Section 94-c setback requirements for solar projects. Additional information
regarding setbacks applied for the Project is included in Exhibit 5 (Design Drawings) and Exhibit
24 (Local Laws and Ordinances).
3(d) Existing Land Use
The Study Area and Project Parcels were evaluated using publicly available geographic
information system (GIS) data from the Tompkins County Department of Information Technology
Services (ITS), the Cayuga County Real Property Services Department, the New York State Office
of Information Technology Services GIS Program Office, and classification codes of the New York
State Office of Real Property Tax Services (NYSORPS). The Study Area includes approximately
5 Cornell Institute for Resource Information Sciences (Cornell IRIS), and NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets,
“Agricultural Districts, Tompkins County NY”
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84,338 acres of land, including the Project Parcels which total approximately 1,849 acres and host
the 754-acre Project Site.6 The current land use of parcels in the Study Area are shown in Figure
3-3. The Tompkins County “2022 Parcel Data” data set, most recently updated on November
15th, 2022, and the Cayuga County “County Shapefile Download”, the latest shapefile of all
parcels in Cayuga County, was used to produce Figure 3-3.7,8 Land use classifications were
derived from parcel data (property class codes) to describe each parcels primary use. These Land
Use Classification Code descriptions and applications are consistent throughout New York State.9
The following property type classification codes occur within the 5-mile Study Area:
100 – Agricultural
200 – Residential
300 – Vacant Land
400 – Commercial
500 – Recreation and Entertainment
600 – Community Services
700 – Industrial
800 – Public Services
900 – Wild, Forested, Conservation Lands and Public Parks
Parcels without an associated property classification are labeled “No Data” in Figure 3-3. These
are primarily associated with public road and utility rights-of-way.
Approximately 64% of land within the Project Parcels is currently used for agricultural purposes.
Specifically, of the approximately 1,849 acres that comprise the Project Parcels, 674 acres (36.5%)
are classified as dairy farms, 409 acres (22.1%) are classified as vacant farmland, and 92.5 acres
(5%) are used for field crops.10
6 Acreage of Project Parcels in Exhibit 3 (1,849 acres) are calculated based on parcel data derived from the Tompkins
County ITS Parcel Shapefile referenced and included herein.
7 Campbell, Cattyann, “Parcels Public”
8 Cayuga County, “Tax Maps”
9 New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, “Property Type Classification Codes”
10 Ibid
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Approximately 531 acres (29%) of land within the Project Parcels is currently classified as
residential use; with 524.5 acres specifically classified as rural residential & agricultural (28.4%)
and 6.5 acres classified as mobile home use (0.4%).11
Approximately 142 acres (7.7%) of the land within the Project Parcels is currently classified as
vacant. Specifically, approximately 92.5 acres (5%) are classified as vacant with improvements,
20.8 acres (1.1%) are classified as vacant rural, and 28.8 acres (1.6%) are classified as rural vacant
larger than 10 acres.12
According to the NYSORPS classification codes, land use within the 5-mile Study Area (84,338
acres) is primarily agriculture (35.0%), residential land (35.8%), and vacant land (20.1%). There
are approximately 29,477 acres of agricultural land within the Study Area according to NYSORPS,
of which 35.5% is vacant farmland, 30.9% is used for field crops, 29.6% is used for dairy farming,
2.6% is used for cattle, 1.2% is used for horses, and 0.2% is used for truck crops not in
mucklands.13
(1) Agricultural Land
NYSORPS has classified approximately 674 acres (36.5%) within the Project Parcels as agricultural
dairy farms. The agricultural dairy farm (Class 112) is described as land used to produce dairy
products, including milk, butter, and cheese.14 Other agricultural uses defined by the NYSORPS
within the Project Parcels include approximately 409 acres (22.1%) of vacant farmland and
approximately 92.5 acres (5%) of land used for field crops. See Exhibit 15 for further discussion
on agricultural production within the Project Parcels.
The following agricultural land use classification codes occur within the 5-mile Study Area:
105 – Agricultural vacant land (productive 10,462.2 acres, 12.4%);
112 – Dairy products: milk, butter, and cheese (8,729.6 acres, 10.3%);
113 – Cattle, calves, hogs (779.3 acres, 0.9%)
11 Ibid
12 Ibid
13 Ibid
14 Ibid
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117 – Horse farms (356.0 acres, 0.4%)
120 – Field crops (9,102.5 acres, 10.8%)
140 – Truck crops – not mucklands (46.9 acres, 0.06%)
(2) Residential Land
The NYSORPS defines Residential Land as, “Property used for human habitation”. Residential
Land amounts to 531.2 acres (29%) of the Project Parcels. Approximately 30,193 acres (35.8%)
within the Study Area are classified by NYSORPS as Residential Land.
(3) Vacant Land
The NYSORPS defines Vacant Land as, “property that is not in use, is in temporary use, or lacks
permanent improvement.” Vacant lands amount to 142 acres (7.7%) of the Project Parcels.
Approximately 16,916 acres (20.1%) within the Study Area are classified by NYSORPS as Vacant
Land (i.e., all 300-level property classes).
(4) Conservation Programs
In order to identify the location of conservation program lands within the Project Site and the 5-
mile Study Area, the Applicant examined the National Conservation Easement Database (NCED).
The NCED is a Project initiated by the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities to gather
information from land trusts and public agencies across the United States.
There are no conservation easements within the Project Parcels. There are 9 conservation
easements within the 5-mile Study Area: three associated with the U.S. Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) Wetland Reserve Program, one associated with the NRCS Farm and
Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP), two associated with the Owasco Lake Inlet, and three
under private ownership (see Figure 3-8).15
15 National Conservation Easement Database, “Interactive Map”
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(5) Airports
There is one airport (Ithaca Tompkins International Airport) and 0 heliports within the 5-mile
Study Area. As discussed in Appendix 8-C (Solar Glare Analysis Report) in Exhibit 8 (Visual Impacts)
of this Application, glare is not predicted to affect pilots landing at the Ithaca Tompkins
International Airport.
3(e) Existing Utility Facilities Map and Consultations
Existing overhead and underground major facilities for electric, gas, and telecommunications
within the 5-mile Study Area are shown on Figure 3-4.
An overhead transmission line right-of-way (ROW) runs generally northwest to southeast
through the Project Parcels. The ROW is occupied by two parallel 115 kV overhead transmission
lines owned and operated by New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) which run between the
Milliken and Etna Substations. The Project will interconnect via line-tap to the Milliken – Etna
Line #975. No additional overhead transmission lines are present within the 5-mile Study Area.
According to data obtained from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, no natural gas or
hazardous liquid pipelines are located on the Project Parcels or the 5-mile Study Area.16,17,18
Additionally, no oil and gas wells are located on the Project Parcels. Oil and gas wells within the
5-mile Study Area are mapped in Figure 3-4.19
The Applicant will consult with owners of overhead and underground utilities within the Project
Site prior to construction of the Project. Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) crossing methods
will be utilized in areas known to host infrastructure to avoid impacts to existing infrastructure
within the Project Parcels. Additionally, prior to construction in these areas, underground utility
locations will be marked to ensure any impact to existing infrastructure will be avoided. Exhibit
21 (Electric Systems Effects & Interconnection) provides a detailed description of the status of
interconnection studies for the Project. The Project is currently in the New York Independent
16 US Energy Information Administration, “Natural Gas Interstate and Intrastate Pipelines”
17 US Energy Information Administration, “Hydrocarbon Gas Liquids (HGL) Pipelines”
18 US Energy Information Administration, “Crude Oil Pipelines”
19 Oak Ridge National Laboratory Data, “Oil and Natural Gas Wells”
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System Operator (NYISO) 2023 Class year and anticipates executing a Large Generator
Interconnection Agreement (LGIA) between the Applicant and NYSEG in Q4 2024. Additional
details related to crossing or adjacent components are shown on the Site Plan drawings included
in Exhibit 5 (Design Drawings).
3(f) Tax Parcel Map
A map of all properties within 1000ft of the Project Parcels is included as Figure 3-5. The land
uses depicted in this map are derived from Tompkins County ITS Parcel Data and are based on
NYSORPS property class codes. More information regarding publicly known proposed land uses
within the 5-mile Study Area is included in Section 3(i) below.
3(g) Existing and Proposed Zoning Districts
A map of the existing zoning districts within the Study Area is included as Figure 3-6. The 5-mile
Study Area includes portions of two Counties: Tompkins County and Cayuga County. Zoning
jurisdiction in both Counties takes place at the city, town, and village level. The Towns of Lansing,
Groton, Ithaca, Locke, Genoa, and Summerhill, as well as the Villages of Lansing, Groton, Cayuga
Heights, and Freeville and the City of Ithaca, are all within the 5-mile Study Area. The Towns of
Genoa, Locke, and Summerhill, all in Cayuga County, do not have existing or proposed zoning
districts. The Village of Freeville’s zoning districts have been included as Appendix 3-A, due to the
small scale of the Village. To make the figure effective in illustrating zoning regulations in the
Study Area, districts in different municipalities which are similar to each other have been
combined in Figure 3-6. The figure legend provides the list of consolidated zoning districts in the
Study Area.
A description of each municipality’s zoning regulations is presented below, with a focus on the
permitted and prohibited uses of those zoning districts located within the Project Parcels. To the
Applicant’s knowledge, the only proposed zoning district within the 5-mile Study Area is the
Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway Overlay District in the Town of Lansing, which is depicted in Figure 3-
7.
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(1) Town of Dryden
The Town of Dryden first adopted zoning regulations in the 1960s, and most recently made
amendments to the Zoning Chapter (270) of the Town Code in 2023.
The Current Town of Dryden Zoning Law established eleven land use control districts. The
districts include: Conservation (CV), Light Industrial/Office District (LIO), Light
Industrial/Office/Adult Use (LIO-A), Large-Scale Retail Development District (LSRDD), Mixed-Use
Commercial (MC), Neighborhood Residential (NR), Rural Agricultural (RA), Rural Residential (RR),
Traditional Neighborhood Development Overlay (TNDO), Varna Hamlet Mixed-Use (VHMUD),
Varna Hamlet Traditional (VHTD). There are no Project Parcels within the Town of Dryden.
(2) Town of Lansing
The Town of Lansing first adopted zoning regulations in 2003, and has subsequently made
amendments in 2004, 2005, 2015 and 2023.
The current Town of Lansing Zoning Law establishes nine land use control districts. The districts
include: Lakeshore (L1), Residential Low Density (R1), Residential Moderate Density (R2),
Residential Mixed-Use (R3), Commercial Mixed-Use (B1), General Commercial (B2),
Industrial/Research (IR), Agriculture (AG), and Rural Agriculture (RA).20 Areas of the Project that
are within the Town of Lansing are entirely isolated to the AG zoning district.
The following activities are principal uses in the AG zoning district: one and two-family dwellings,
bed & breakfast operations, day care facilities, farm operations, and alternative energy systems
(subject to §270-25.1).
The following are principal uses on AG district land subject to Site Plan Review for Certain Farm
Operations: agricultural education and recreation facilities, agriculture-related commerce, farm
creameries, farm breweries, farm cideries, farm distilleries, farm wineries, and farm markets. The
following uses are principal uses on AG district land subject to Site Plan Review: animal care
20 Town of Lansing, “Local Law Number #3 of 2020 of the Town of Lansing to Amend the Land Use Ordinance Relating
to Solar and Wind Energy Systems”
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facilities, cemeteries, communication towers, contractor’s/landscaping yards, large-scale battery
energy storage systems, nursery schools, places of worship, retail garden centers, rural
enterprises, solar energy facilities, major utilities and services, veterinary clinics, wind energy
conversion systems.
The following are accessory uses in the Lansing AG district: accessory buildings, district energy
systems, accessory dwellings, accessory commerce farm operations, home businesses and home
occupations (both subject to Section 270-38.1), non-tower-based wind energy conversion
systems, outdoor displays, roadside stands, small-scale battery energy storage systems, small-
scale solar energy systems, minor utilities and services.
The following are temporary uses in the Lansing AG district: agricultural events (subject to
Chapter 174: Motorcades, Parades and Assemblies), contractor trailers and shipping containers
(both subject to Section 270-39.1), temporary occupancy of permanent dwellings (subject to
Section 270-39.2).
The project classifies as an alternative energy system and solar energy facility making it a primary
use subject to Site Plan Review in the Town of Lansing. The Project Components, including the
proposed substation are permitted in the AG zoning district subject to the Site Plan requirements.
Lansing Local Law Number 3 of 2020, entitled “A Local Law of the Town of Lansing to Amend the
Land Use Ordinance Relating to Solar and Wind Energy Systems Proposed to be Sited in the Town
of Lansing, New York”, applies to utility-scale or commercial solar energy systems. More
information regarding the Town of Lansing Local Law 3 of 2020 is provided in Exhibit 24.
Permitted and prohibited uses in the Town of Lansing’s other zoning districts are shown on the
attached schedule of uses (Appendix 3-B). As indicated on the schedule of uses, some land uses
within the Town of Lansing are permitted as of right, while other land uses are only permitted
contingent upon either a Site Plan, a Special Use permit, a Zoning permit, or some other special
conditions that apply.
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(3) Town of Groton
The Town of Groton first adopted a zoning ordinance in 2011, entitled “Town of Groton Land Use
and Development Code of 2011”, which was most recently updated in 2018. The zoning ordinance
divides the Town into 7 distinct districts: Rural Agricultural (RA), Low Intensity (L), Medium
Intensity One (M1), Medium Intensity Two (M2), Highway Commercial/Industrial (H), Industrial
One District (I1), and Industrial Two District (I2).21 Areas of the Project Parcels that are located
within the Town of Groton are entirely located within the Rural Agricultural (RA) district.
Land uses permitted by right within the Town of Groton’s RA district include agriculture/farming,
one- and two-family residences, accessory apartments and other buildings, non-commercial
green energy production, public utilities, parks, playgrounds, and roadside stands/signs. Other
land uses – such as hotels, multi-family residences, public buildings, professional offices,
warehouses (for self-storage and storage/distribution), retail stores/services, and places of
religious worship – require a Site Plan in order to be permitted Groton’s RA zoning district. A
Town Board Approved Special Permit is required for cemeteries, commercial excavation/mining,
high-density housing, and junkyards.
Groton Local Law Number 1 of the year 2018, entitled “A Local Law to Amend Various Sections
of the Town of Groton Land Use and Development Code as Enacted by Local Law #1 of the Year
2011”, amends the zoning ordinance as it relates to small- and large-scale solar and wind Projects.
More information regarding Groton Local Law Number 1 of 2018 is provided in Exhibit 24 (Local
Laws and Ordinances).
On November 18th, 2022, the Town of Groton filed Local Law Number 2 of the year 2022, entitled
“Local Law Imposing a Six (6) Month Moratorium on Commercial Energy Systems in the Town of
Groton.” While this local law enacted a moratorium on commercial solar installations through
May 18th, 2022, this local law explicitly states that large scale solar energy Projects subject to the
siting and permitting authority of the ORES under the New York Executive Law 94-c process and
21 Town of Groton, “Adopted by the Town of Groton and amended through 6-13-2020 by Art. No. 9. Subsequent
amendments noted where applicable”
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therefore is not applicable to the Project. The moratorium on commercial energy systems in the
Town of Groton is no longer active.
Permitted and prohibited uses in the Town of Groton’s other zoning districts are included in the
attached Appendix 3-B (Schedule of Uses). Land uses within the Town of Groton are categorized
under the following criteria: Permitted by right, Site Plan, and Town Board Approved Special Use
Permit. Similar land uses that are permitted by right in the RA district are permitted by right in
the L, M1, and M2 districts – with the exception of parks, playgrounds, and reserves, which
require a Site Plan in the L, M1, and M2 districts. Other uses that require a Site Plan or Town
Board Approved Special permit in the L, M1, and M2 districts include: commercial excavation,
cemeteries, places of worship, adult care, inns, financial institutions, community centers, public
buildings, hospitals, recreation clubs, multi-family residences, restaurants, retail, schools, vets,
warehouse facilities, etc. The only land uses that are permitted by right in the H district are
accessory apartments, buildings or other structures, agriculture/farming, commercial flag lots,
commercial and non-commercial green energy production, portable accessory storage structures
and tents, one- and two- family residences, roadside stands, and signs.
(4) Town of Ithaca
The Town of Ithaca amended and reinstated its zoning ordinance on December 8 th, 2003. The
Town of Ithaca zoning map, originally adopted in 2004 and subsequently revised in 2006, 2012,
2014, 2017, and 2022. The Town of Ithaca is divided into 16 zoning districts: Lakefront Residential
(LR), Low Density Residential (LDR), Medium Density Residential (MDR), High Density Residential
(HDR), Mobile Park Home (MPH), Multiple Residence (MR), Vehicle Fuel and Repair (VFR), Office
Park Commercial (OPC), Neighborhood Commercial (NC), Community Commercial (CC), Lakefront
Commercial (LC), Agricultural (AG), Conservation (C), Planned Development Zone, Light Industrial
(LI), and Industrial (I).22 All zoning districts are within the Project’s 5-mile Study Area. No portions
of the Project Site or Project Parcels are located within the Town of Ithaca.
22 Town of Ithaca, “Local Law No. 10 of 2023 Amending the Town of Ithaca Code, Chapter 270 Entitled “Zoning”, to
Revise Provisions Related to Solar Facilities”
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Within the C zoning district, permitted uses include one- or two- family dwellings, nurseries,
farms, gardens, public water supply, roadside stands limited to 500 square feet, forest
management uses and small wind energy facilities. Principal and accessory uses permitted in the
C zoning district contingent upon a Special Use permit include places of worship, schools, publicly
owned playgrounds/parks, fire stations, roadside stands exceeding 500 square feet, bed and
breakfasts, equestrian facilities, accessory buildings, home occupations, adult day-cares, and
amateur radio facilities.
Permitted uses by right within the AG zoning district include: any lawful farm purpose, plant
nursery, equestrian facility, one- or two- family dwelling, kennel, coup, or other animal care
facility, roadside stand not exceeding 3000 square feet, publicly owned park or playground, any
municipal or public utility purpose, daycare home, community residence, forest management
use, amateur radio facility, landscaping service, or small wind facility. Principal uses authorized
by a Special Use permit include: retail sales related to agricultural operations, veterinary offices,
hospitals, places of worship, places of worship, schools, fire stations, bed and breakfasts, and
recreational activities like hunting and cross country skiing.
The Town of Ithaca Zoning Ordinance does not include a schedule of uses and therefore is not
included in Appendix 3-B (Schedule of Uses) attached.
No Project Components are proposed within the Town of Lansing and no direct impacts to the
Town of Lansing, are anticipated.
(5) Town of Locke
The Town of Locke has not adopted a zoning ordinance that governs overall land uses within the
Town. However, the town has adopted Local Laws regulating specific land uses and specific areas
within the Town, such as horizontal hydraulic fracking, the development of radio towers, and
flood zones.
No Project Components are proposed within the Town of Locke and no direct impacts to the
Town of Locke are anticipated.
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(6) Town of Genoa
The Town of Genoa has not adopted a zoning ordinance that governs land uses within the Town.
No Project Components are proposed within the Town of Genoa and no direct impacts to the
Town of Genoa are anticipated.
(7) Town of Summerhill
The Town of Summerhill has not adopted a zoning ordinance that governs land uses within the
Town.
No Project Components are proposed within the Town of Summerhill, and no direct impacts to
the Town of Summerhill are anticipated.
(8) City of Ithaca
The City of Ithaca adopted its first Zoning Ordinance in 1924, which has been most recently
amended in 2022. The City is divided into 22 use districts: R-1 (Single-Family Residential), R-2
(Two-Family Residential, R-3 (Multi-Family Residential), R-U (Residential-Urban), B-1 (Business-
1), B-2 (Business-2), B-4 (Business-4), B-5 (Business-5), CBD (Central Business District), C-SU
(Court House Special Use), I-1 (Industrial), P-1 (Park), U-1 (University), MH-1 (Mobile Homes),
WEDZ (West End Zone), SW (Southwest), WF (Waterfront), CR (Collegetown Residential), MU
(Mixed Use), GP (Gorge Protection), Historic District, and Adult Uses. These use districts
described above are also divided into subdistricts, as further described on the attached schedule
of uses (Appendix 3-B).
Permitted and prohibited uses in the Town are shown on the attached schedule of uses
(Appendix 3-B). In Residential Zones, uses permitted by right generally include housing (such as
single- and multi-family dwellings), public parks, places of worship, libraries, and fire stations.
school related buildings, public utility infrastructure, nurseries, and places of worship. Other uses
that are permitted in the residential districts after receiving a special use permit include
cemeteries, public utility infrastructure, all school related buildings, bed and breakfasts,
nurseries, and neighborhood commercial facilities. In the Business Zones, permitted uses by right
include funeral homes, banks or monetary institutions, government offices, housing such as
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single- and multi- family dwellings and college dormitories, retail stores, gas stations, movie
theatres, and hotels. Additionally, redemption centers are a permitted use in the B-2 District after
the issuance of a special use permit. Permitted and prohibited uses for the other designated
zoning districts within the City of Ithaca are included in Appendix 3-B (Schedule of Uses) attached.
No Project Components are proposed within the City of Ithaca, and no direct impacts to the City
of Ithaca are anticipated.
(9) Village of Cayuga Heights
The Village of Cayuga Heights adopted its first zoning ordinance in 1925, just ten years after the
Village was incorporated within the Town of Ithaca.23 The most recent amendment to the
Village’s zoning ordinance was passed in January 2023. The Village is divided into 4 zoning
districts: Commercial Zone, Multiple Housing Zone, Planned Development Zone, and Residence
Zone.
Permitted principal uses in the Residence Zone include a one family residence, public school
grades pre-K through 12, place of worship, cemetery, publicly owned park or playground, home
gardening, golf course, group home, short-term rental dwelling unit, and certain residencies
containing two dwelling units. Permitted accessory uses in the Residence Zone include off-street
parking, private recreational facilities such as swimming pools and tennis courts, tree-houses,
family day-care home or group family day-care home, portable sheds, the keeping of chicken
hens, and solar energy collectors. In the Commercial Zone, permitted principal uses in addition
to the uses permitted in the Residence Zone include a variety of retail stores under 5,000 square
feet or less, such as grocery store, arts and crafts gallery, drugstore, florist, bakery, bank,
barbershop, optician, shoe maker, packing and shipping, and decorator. Additional principal uses
permitted in the Commercial Zone include Business, professional, or governmental office (under
5,000 square feet); fire station; and emergency medical services. The following uses, provided
that the area on which construction occurs exceeds 5,000 square feet but does not exceed 10,000
square feet, are permitted only with special use permit approval: bank, child-day care, clubhouse,
23 Szelsky, Beatrice, “Land Use and Early Village Zoning.”
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community center, laundromat, restaurant, fitness center, wine or liquor store, tavern, spa, car
share service, and telecommunications towers/facilities.
The Village of Cayuga Heights zoning ordinance does not include a schedule of uses and is
therefore not included in Appendix 3-B attached.
No Project Components are proposed within the Village of Cayuga Heights, and no direct impacts
to the Village of Cayuga Heights are anticipated.
(10) Village of Lansing
The Village of Lansing most recently updated the Village of Lansing Code Zoning Law in 2016. The
Village is divided into nine zoning districts: Low-Density Residential (LDR), Medium-Density
Residential (MDR), High-Density Residential (HDR), Commercial Low Traffic (CLT), Commercial
Medium Traffic (CMT), Commercial High Traffic (CHT), Business and Technology (BTD), Research
(RSH), and Human Health Services (HHS).
In the LDR district of the Village of Lansing, the permitted uses are natural parks, one- and two-
unit residential buildings, utility service (underground), and alteration to building or improved
site or change in that does not result in change in applicable parking space requirements. The
following general conditions: utility transmission/storage/plants, religious facilities, schools,
outdoor recreation/clubs, and alteration to building or improved site or change in use that results
in change in applicable parking space requirements are permitted with a special permit in the
Village of Lansing. Furthermore, these uses are additional conditions for certain special permits:
mobile homes, home occupation, commercial crop/animal, additional residential building on
single lot, assisted living facility, special care facilities.
There are only three locations in the Village of Lansing Code Zoning Law where solar energy
facilities are indirectly referenced. Solar Collectors are included in the definition of an “Accessory
Building” as well as in the definition of a “Structure”.24 The only other mention of solar collectors
is found in “Section 145-22 Height Limitations”, where it is specifies that solar collectors along
24 Page 145005 and 145008 respectively in the Village of Lansing Code Chapter 145 (vlansing.org) (sited in endnotes)
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with water tanks, skylights, and other structures are subject to the height limitations of each
respective district.
There are no Project Parcels in the Village of Lansing.
(11) Village of Groton
The Village of Groton most recently updated their zoning ordinance in 2015. The Village is divided
into 9 zoning districts: Low-Intensity District (L), Medium-Intensity District (M), Medium-Intensity
Single-Family Residence District, High-Intensity District (H), Special Purpose One District (SI),
Single-Family Residence District (SF), Mobile Home Park District (MHP), Special Commercial
District (SC), and Planned Development Area (PDA-1).
In the L zoning district of the Village of Groton, activities such as crop farming, forestry, one-
family residential dwelling (except a mobile home park), park, cemetery, office, handcrafting, and
electric and gas transmission lines are permitted by right. Other uses, such as dairy farm,
commercial kennel, two-family residential dwelling, elder cottage, government building, fire
station, school, funeral home, place of worship, bed and breakfast, travel trailer, veterinary
hospital, nursing home, sale and storage of lumber, commercial excavation of natural deposits,
and industrial/agricultural equipment sales, are subject to special conditions or require a permit
in the L zoning district.
A Site Plan Review is required for the following uses in all zoning districts in the Village of Groton:
commercial kennel, veterinary hospital, rooming house, mobile home park, home occupation,
government building, fire station, school, park, cemetery, public or private outdoor recreation
activity or club, bowling alley and similar types of indoor recreation activity, place of worship,
hospital, funeral home, motel, tourist home, bank, retail sales of convenience goods and other
accessories, convenience mini mart, eating and drinking establishment, automobile-oriented
establishments, gas stations, new and used car sales, automotive repair and service shops, sale
and storage of lumber and building supplies, printing, plumbing, heating and electrical
establishments, electric and gas transmission lines and services, handcrafting and assembly of
cosmetic goods, industrial and manufacturing establishments which produce minimal noise,
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odor, glare and industrial wastes, industrial and agricultural equipment sales and services,
commercial excavation of sand and gravel, and special design development.
No Project Components are proposed within the Village of Groton, and no direct impacts to the
Village of Groton are anticipated.
(12) Village of Freeville
Land use regulations in the Village of Freeville were most recently amended on July 5 th, 2022. The
Village of Freeville is divided into the following 5 zoning districts: Residential Zone (R), Agricultural
Zone (AG), Flood Hazard Zone (FH), Commercial Zone (C), and Conservation Combining Zone (CC).
Planned Unit Development Zones (PUD-n) are established only after a developer applies for it
and follows procedures set forth in Section 460 of the Land Use Regulations. The established of
a PUD-n zone constitutes an amendment to the Zoning Map and replaces all of the zoning
regulations previously in place with the provisions of the PUD-n amendment adopted through
the procedure set forth in Section 359 of the Land Use Regulations.
All agricultural uses, except for commercial farm headquarters, are permitted in the agricultural
zone without a permit. Additionally, household recreational activity is permitted without a
permit, while rooming house residential activity (occupancy of a rooming unit housing
accommodations on loner than one month basis) and group home residential activity (occupancy
of housing accommodations longer than one month by a group of unrelated individuals) requires
Site Plan Review. Civic activities, such as day care homes, recreational camping, religious
programs, and the maintenance and operation of parks and other essential civic services is
permitted without a permit in the Agricultural zone. Other civic activities, such as schools,
museums, libraries, care homes (congregate, health related, and nursing homes), hospitals,
places of worship, administrative civic activity, vehicular civic activity, and utility/communication
service activity require Site Plan Review to be permitted in the agricultural zone. All commercial
activities within the agricultural zone are either prohibited or subject to Site Plan Review.
No Project Components are proposed within the Village of Freeville, and no direct impacts to the
Village of Freeville are anticipated.
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3(h) Adopted Comprehensive Plans
The Town of Lansing adopted the Town of Lansing Agriculture & Farmland Protection Plan in
2015, and the Town of Lansing Comprehensive Plan in 2018. The Town and Village of Groton
adopted the Joint Comprehensive Plan for the Village and Town of Groton in 2005. County and
regional level planning documents include the Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan adopted in
2015, and the Tompkins County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan. The proposed Project
is consistent with each of these plans.
(1) Town of Lansing NY Comprehensive Plan 2018
Approximately 25% of the Project Site is proposed in the Town of Lansing in Tompkins County.
The Town of Lansing’s Comprehensive Plan was adopted on May 2nd, 2018 and is included herein
as Appendix 3-C. The Comprehensive Plan is also available on the Town of Lansing website:
https://www.lansingtown.com/bc-pb/page/comprehensive-plan-2018 . The Comprehensive Plan
provides guidance to Town Leaders and Staff about resident’s opinions about the direction the
Town should move in the future and allows them to examine development patterns and propose
future courses of action related to land use and zoning regulations, adoption of designation
business areas, and the protection of sensitive and valuable environmental areas and natural
resources.25
The Comprehensive Plan lists several goals and recommendations for the community relating to
agriculture, infrastructure, transportation, municipal services, natural resources, energy, open
space, and land use. The goals most relevant to the proposed Project are listed below:
Create a supportive environment for farming.
Protect and promote the best farmland and encourage environmental stewardship.
Create an Agricultural Zoning District that gives priority to farming and related
enterprises.
25 Town of Lansing, New York, “Comprehensive Plan 2018”
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Improve and shape the quality of the built environment by focusing on growth to provide
for the needs of Town residents. Foster a balanced mis of agricultural, open space and
recreational, residential, commercial, institutional, and office/light industrial uses.
Continue to take into consideration both Tompkins County Unique Natural Areas (UNA’s)
and State and Federal Wetlands during site plan reviews and development for the
protection of our natural resources.
Protect open space with appropriate land use regulations and development strategies.
Reduce energy consumption and Greenhouse Gas emissions in municipal operations.
Foster residential use of solar, wind, water and geothermal renewable energy sources
through education and incentives.
Build a resilient community by continuing to support the ongoing development and
evolution of the Town’s emergency plan.
Foster job creation and retention through business growth.
Enhance the local economy to achieve economic stability and reduce economic
dependence on a single sector.
Better align the town and local businesses with regional economic development councils
and authorities (TCAD, STREDC, NYSERDA, etc.) to assist emerging entrepreneurs and
established businesses with expansion and start-up.
Using incentives and education to encourage businesses that utilize town resources
effectively.
The Town of Lansing Comprehensive Plan states that the Town “welcomes growth that utilizes a
balanced, sustainable, and coordinated approach in areas where appropriate services and
infrastructure are available.”26 Furthermore, the Comprehensive Plan states, “Dedication to the
preservation of [the] community’s natural areas and resources is of utmost important to the
town, and the community will proactively seek methods that prevent the degradation of these
26 Ibid
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resources as the town grows by exploring opportunities that support the use of renewable energy
technologies, providing support to both this and surrounding communities”.27
The Town of Lansing Comprehensive Plan recognizes that agriculture has a significant impact on
the Town’s economy and land use, acknowledging unique land with high quality soils that is
suitable for farming in the northern part of the town. The Town of Lansing Comprehensive Plan
also prioritizes the expansion of economic and commercial development, and states that the
“Town government needs to continue to strike a balance between competing interests”.28 The
Yellow Barn Solar Project supports this balance by providing competitive-wage construction jobs
and a stable long-term revenue for the Town, while also understanding the importance of
mitigating any damage to the land and restoring it to a usable condition after the Project’s
lifetime.
(2) Joint Comprehensive Plan for the Village and Town of Groton
Approximately 75% of the Project Site is proposed in the Town of Groton in Tompkins County.
The Joint Comprehensive Plan for the Village and Town of Groton was adopted by the Town of
Groton Town Board on November 1st, 2005, and is included herein as Appendix 3-D. The
Comprehensive Plan is also available on the Town of Groton’s website: HOME | vilgroton
(grotonny.org). The Comprehensive Plan provides a framework to Town leaders and residents to
help guide future growth and development in Groton. The opinions of residents from a survey of
citizens from 2004 are included and are used to design objectives which support the needs of
Groton residents. Some of the key development strategies prioritized in the plan are promoting
community and youth services, maintaining a small-town way of life, and supporting economic
development that will support the town’s needs. The plan states that it should be updated every
five years, updates to the 2005 plan are anticipated to be complete December 31, 2025 as the
Village received $50,000 in funding December 2, 2022 under the Smart Growth Comprehensive
27 Ibid
28 Ibid
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Planning Grant Program.29 Relevant objectives from the Groton Comprehensive Plan are listed
below.30
Promote retention and expansion of community and cultural resources such as the
library, recreation centers, places of worship and fellowship, health services and other
organizations that serve the community.
Ensure retention of the small-town character, quality of life and economic viability of the
village and hamlets.
Protect the diverse physical environment that provides the backdrop for Groton’s rural
character.
Encourage a land use pattern that, through its physical form, fosters a sense of
community.
Balance the need for residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural land uses while
directing attention to the conflicts inherent among those uses.
Maintain and enhance the local economy and its ties to the regional economy, and to
seek ways to respond to economic trends in ways that will provide residents with a variety
of employment opportunities.
Ensure the continued viability of agriculture as a strong component of Groton’s economy
and its landscape.
Support the mission of the Groton Central School District and other contiguous school
districts.
Ensure that the local transportation system is safe, efficient and diversified to serve the
needs of all members of the community.
Manage growth so that current and future residents are provided adequate and timely
municipal services and quality of life is maintained and enhanced.
Protect the diverse array of environmental resources in the community, including but not
limited to streams, wetlands, groundwater aquifers, woodlands and agricultural lands.
29 Regional Economic Development Councils, “Village of Groton Comprehensive Plan”
30 Groton Joint Comprehensive Committee, “Joint Comprehensive Plan for the Village and Town of Groton, New
York”
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Protect the scenic quality of the landscape.
As listed above, the Town of Groton emphasizes the importance of “seek[ing] ways to respond
to economic trends in ways that that will provide residents with a variety of employment
opportunities”. As detailed in Exhibit 18 (Socioeconomic Effects), the Project will employ local
construction employees and provide economic benefits to Groton landowners involved in the
Project as well as the Town directly through a PILOT program and an HCA. The Project has been
designed to ensure that any damage to agricultural land and the rural character of the town is
mitigated (see Exhibits 8 [Visual Impacts] and Exhibit 15 [Agricultural Resources]).
As mentioned on page 12 of the Joint Comprehensive Plan, the Tompkins County Environmental
Management Council Unique Natural Areas program has identified areas around the County
where rare plants or animals exist, or where unique geologic features hold notable ecosystems.
There is some overlap between the Project and these Unique Natural Areas (UNAs), including
Bear Swamp located adjacent to the Project Site. The Project will utilize HDD to avoid impacts to
this resource. The Project has completed a Grassland Breeding Bird Survey (GBBS) (Appendix 12-
B), Wintering Raptor Survey (WRS) (Appendix 12-C), and a Rare Plant Survey (RPS) (Appendix 11-
A) to determine the Project’s potential impacts on threatened or endangered wildlife within the
Project Site. GBBS & WRS studies identified T&E species within the Project Site. A Net
Conservation Benefit Plan (NCBP) has been prepared as Appendix 12-E of Exhibit 12 (NYS T&E
Species) to address impacts to occupied breeding and wintering habitat. Wetlands are avoided
to the maximum extent practicable as regulated by the Department of Environmental
Conservation (DEC) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). See Exhibit 14 (Wetlands) for a
detailed discussion on wetland impacts. Furthermore, the Applicant is considering planting
pollinator friendly seed-mix in specific areas of the Project to support local pollinators and the
Project Site will be restored to meadowlike conditions to allow it to return to pre-project use
after decommissioning.
(3) Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan
The Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan of 2015 outlines a vision for the future of Tompkins
County that supports its residents and resources and is included as Appendix 3-E. Compared to
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their 2004 Comprehensive Plan, the plan has notably added sustainability as one of its three
overarching principles, along with climate adaption as one of the nine additional principles. The
three principles of most relevance to the proposed Project are natural resources, sustainability,
and climate change.31 Relevant policies included within these principal focuses are listed below:
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to reach a minimum 80 percent reduction from 2008
levels by 2050 and reduce reliance on fossil fuels across all sectors.
Increase the use of local and regional renewable energy sources and technologies.
Support land use policies and regulations and public infrastructure improvements to
encourage private investment in the Development Focus Areas.
Promote best management practices that protect natural resources and productive
working lands.
The proposed Project is compatible with the 2015 Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan. The
Project is greatly contributing to the county’s renewable energy goals and is doing so away from
any of the Rural Centers which are outlined in the Development Focus Areas. Furthermore, while
the Project is removing some active farmland from production, the use of pollinator species, the
intended use of sheep grazing, and adequate decommissioning at the end of the Project’s lifetime
should sufficiently maintain the quality of the land.
(4) Town of Lansing Agriculture & Farmland Protection Plan
The Town of Lansing Agriculture & Farmland Protection Plan of 2015 was developed by a Lansing
committee established in 2009 which aimed to guide the town in strengthening agriculture and
protecting active farmland. The plan is included herein as Appendix 3-F, and can also be found
on the Town of Lansing website: lansing_ag_plan_final.pdf (lansingtown.com). Lansing has a long
history of successful farming, and as of 2012 there was an estimated $20 million annually coming
from total farm product sales, $17 million attributed to dairy farming. As of 2012, over 16,000
acres receiving agricultural property tax assessment in Lansing, making up 36% of the town’s land
base. While the broader trend shows a decrease in active agricultural land, from 2007 to 2012,
31 Tompkins County, “Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan: Planning for our Future”
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active agricultural land increased 1,017 acres, resulting mainly from 866 acres of inactive land
going back into farming.32
The priority recommendations of the Lansing Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan of 2015
are listed below.
Create a Town Agriculture Committee with responsibility for advising the Town Board on
matters pertaining to agriculture and to steer the implementation of the Agriculture Plan
strategies.
Change most of the current Rural Agriculture (RA) zoning district to an Agriculture Zone
(AG) and permit uses most compatible with farming.
Review the definition of agriculture in the zoning code and develop a uniform definition
consistent with the diversity of farming enterprises in the town and with NYS Agriculture
District Law.
Encourage in-fill development in South Lansing to reduce rural sprawl and the associated
costs of infrastructure development.
Explore options for keeping critical high quality farm parcels that come up for sale
available for farming.
Identify key farm properties to target for NYS Farmland Protection (PDR) funding to
preserve prime farmland; work with County Planning in developing applications for PDR
funding.
Seek funding and other opportunities to expand and strengthen the economic impact
agriculture has on the town’s economy.
While the Project Site will mainly be located on agricultural land, the site will be thoroughly
decommissioned after its lifetime and can return to agriculture. Furthermore, the Project intends
to graze sheep on at least a portion of the site, maintaining some of the land’s agricultural utility.
As detailed in Exhibit 13, the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP; Appendix 13-C) will
be used to ensure that the flow of water on the site does not damage the land.
32 Town of Lansing, “Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan”
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(5) Tompkins County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan
The updated Tompkins County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan was published in 2015,
after several years of consultation with focus groups made up of Tompkins County farmers in
various agricultural sectors. This plan is included as Appendix 3-G and can also be accessed here:
https://tompkinscountyny.gov/files2/planning/Rural%20Resources/documents/TC%20Ag%20&
%20Famland%20Protection%20Plan%20Complete%207-20-15.pdf . Funded by the NY
Department of Agriculture and Markets, Tompkins County contracted Cooperative Extensive
with direction from the Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board, to utilize the focus group
data and craft strategies and action steps. Additionally, data from the 2012 United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Census was used to contextualize the status of Tompkins
agriculture.33
As of 2012, about 30% of land in Tompkins County was actively farmed, totaling over 90,000
acres. While this is drastically less than the 200,000 acres farmed in 1950, the percentage of
active farmland has stabilized between 30%-35% for the last 20 years. The Plan discusses five
priorities for the county to concentrate on,
Location of Areas Proposed for Protection: Protecting Agricultural Resource Focus Areas
(ARFAs)
Value to Agricultural Economy of the County: Protecting the economic contribution of
agricultural lands
Open Space Value: Protecting farmland’s open space to benefit scenic viewsheds, create
wildlife corridors, and maintain the identity of Tompkins County
Consequences of Possible Conversion: Preventing fragmentation of agricultural land
Level of Conversion Pressure: Monitoring areas that are losing their farmland road
frontage
The Projects biggest impact on agricultural land is its use of the southeast corner of the North
Lansing-West Groton Agricultural Resource Focus Area (ARFA), which is a particularly high-quality
33 Tompkins County, “Tompkins County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan”
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soil. The Project is taking this land out of active use, but not permanently altering the area. As
detailed in Exhibit 23 (Site Restoration and Decommissioning), the Project will be adequately
decommissioned to allow for the land to return to agricultural use. Furthermore, the economic
benefits to individual landowners and to the towns of Lansing and Groton outweigh the economic
losses from out of production farmland.
3(i) Publicly Known Proposed Land Uses
The Applicant consulted with representatives of the all municipalities within the 5-mile Study
Area and reviewed recent meeting minutes to identity publicly known proposed land uses in the
vicinity of the Project. These proposed land uses are identified in Figure 3-7. Consultations with
municipalities in the Study Area are included as Appendix 3-H.
The following proposed land uses within the Study Area were identified by Town representatives
in Lansing and Groton:
(1) Town of Lansing
United Storage TBR, LLC; 9,600 square foot storage facility; 30.-1-16.32
Genie Solar Project; 5-MW ground-mounted solar project; 16.-1-19.2
Village Solars, LLC; apartment complex and solar development; 39.-1-38.8, 39.-1-38.11,
39.-1-38.13, and 38.-1-38.16
Dandy Mini Mart; convenience market; 31.-6-9.1, 31.-6-10, 31.-6-13, 31.-6-14
Cayuga Vista Multi-residential building of 16 units; 37.1-2-53.59
Duthie 9600 square foot Warehouse; 8-18 Verizon Lane; 30.-1-16-32
East Shore Circle sub-division… 6 lots; 37.1-7-12.2
Proposed Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway Overlay District
(2) Town of Groton
Preliminary site plan/special permit review application; 321-2.5 (732 Spring Street)
o Tractor Dealership/Repair Shop
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(3) Town of Ithaca
Tareyton Drive Offering by Cornell University Real Estate, pending sale to Dakota
Partners, 73.-1-1.22 and 73.-1-2.2.
Further detail on renewable energy facilities in the Project’s vicinity is provided in Exhibit
(Agricultural Resources) Section 15(a)(5).
3(j) Map of Designated Areas
Figure 3-8 illustrates the designated areas in and around the Study Area. The Project Parcels are
sited on agricultural district land, but is not located within a designated coastal area, Local Water
Revitalization Program (LWRP) area, designated flood zone, or on NYS DEC land. The Project
Parcels and the 5-mile study area was assessed using the online DECinfo Locator to determine
potential impacts to Critical Environmental Areas (CEAs) designated pursuant to Article 8 of the
ECL.34 No CEAs are present within the Project Parcels or the Study Area. Potions of the 5-mile
Study Area are within a designated coastal area (Cayuga Lake) and a LWRP in the Town of Lansing.
In 2004, the Towns of Lansing, Ithaca, and Ulysses, the Villages of Lansing and Cayuga Heights,
the City of Ithaca, and the County of Tompkins adopted the Cayuga Lake Waterfront Plan under
the NYS Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP). This area around Cayuga Lake is
identified in Figure 3-8.
Figure 3-8 also identifies designated agricultural districts within the Study Area, specifically
Tompkins County Ag District 1 and Cayuga County Ag District 5. All the Project Parcels are within
the Tompkins County Agricultural District 1. See Exhibit 15 for a detailed discussion on
agricultural resources and impacts. Flood prone areas, based on FEMA Q3 Flood Hazard Data
from 1996, are illustrated in the Figure 3-8, and designated as Flood Zone A (area inundated by a
100-year flood with base elevation included), or Flood Zone AE (area inundated by a 100-year
flood with no base flood elevations provided). There are no Flood Zones within the Project
Parcels.
34 New York Department of Environmental Conservation, “DECinfo Locator”
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3(k) Maps of Recreational and Other Sensitive Land Uses
Figure 3-8 which identifies designated areas in the Study Area, includes recreational areas and
other sensitive land uses.
The Project evaluated the New York State Department of Transportation, Office of Environment,
Landscape Architecture Bureau 2018 map of New York State Scenic Byways to determine the
Project’s potential impacts on National and State Scenic Byways.35 Cayuga Lake (approximately
3.5 miles from the Project Site) and Scenic Route 90 (approximately 4.5 miles north of the Project
Site), both State-listed scenic byways, are present within the Study Area. No national or State
Scenic Byways are present within the Project Parcels. Public access fishing sites in the Study Area
are shown in Figure 3-8, including several locations along Salmon Creek in the southwest portion
of the study area, and a fishing location on Owasco Stream in the northeast portion of the Study
Area. Salmon Creek, an inland trout stream stocked for fishing, is located approximately 2.5 miles
from the Project Site.36 There are no recreational areas within the Project Parcels.
Myers City Park is the only locally protected park in the Study Area, and the nearest State Park is
Summer Hill State Forest, located just north of the Study Area. No New York Forest Preserve land,
local parks, or state parks are located within the Project Parcels.37 Hiking Trails are illustrated in
Figure 3-8, specifically the Black Diamond Walking Trail in Ulysses, which is located just west of
the Study Area. No hiking trails have been identified within the Project Parcels or the Study Area.
NYSDEC land is identified in Figure 3-8, specifically Myers City Park at the southern tip of Salmon
Creek and Summer Hill State Forest, located just northeast of the Study Area.
Two Rich Hemlock Hardwood Peat Swamps exist in the Study Area, which are classified by the
NYDEC as significant natural communities, are mapped in Figure 3-8. There are no significant
natural communities within the Project Parcels. Additionally, Tompkins County has identified
Unique Natural Areas in the county, which are mapped in Figure 3-8. Bear Swamp is a Unique
Natural Area that overlaps with the Project Parcels, but using the wetland delineation, which is
35 NYS Department of Transportation, “Map of NYS Byways.”
36 NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, “DECinfo Locator.”
37 NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, “New York’s Forest Preserve.”
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detailed in Exhibit 14 (Wetlands), the Project has been designed to use HDD to avoid impacts to
Bear Swamp. Freshwater wetlands which are regulated by NYS have not been mapped in Figure
3-8, because a more accurate map of delineated wetlands is included in Exhibit 14 (Wetlands).
The Project does not anticipate significant impacts on any of the sensitive recreational resources
identified.
3(l) Compatibility with Land Uses
As discussed above, the Project is compatible with local land uses within the Project Site as well
as the 5-Mile Study Area. Moreover, the Project is compatible with land uses within 1-mile
around the Project.
Agricultural and residential land uses are of particular concern for the Towns of Lansing and
Groton, as well as Tompkins County. While the Project is located on and nearby agricultural land,
construction and operation of the Project will be in compliance with all NYSAGM regulations,
ensuring that long-term negative impacts to the underlying soils are mitigated. Additionally, the
land hosting the Project will be able to return to agricultural production following thorough
decommissioning of the system. As detailed in the Project’s Agricultural Integration Plan
(Appendix 15-F), the Applicant is making an effort to preserve the agricultural use of the land
during operations of the Project by exploring opportunities to utilize sheep grazing for vegetative
maintenance on the Project Site.
The Project’s potential impact on residential land uses within 1-mile is largely limited to
residencies adjacent to the Project Site. The Applicant’s effort to mitigate impacts to adjacent
residencies has been focused on minimizing excess noise, visibility, and traffic. As detailed, in
Exhibit 7 (Noise & Vibration), Exhibit 8 (Visual Impacts), and Exhibit 16 (Effect on Transportation),
conflicts from Project generated noise, traffic and visual impacts have been minimized to the
extent practicable, and the Project is not anticipated to result in a significant impact on any of
these criteria.
Impacts related to noise generated from the Project have been mitigated by locating inverters
within panel arrays. Additionally. the Project will utilize a modified main power transformer
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and/or propose a sound wall around the substation specified to produce NEMA-8 sound levels.
Impacts to viewshed will be mitigated through the implementation of the Visual Impact
Minimization and Mitigation Plan (VIMMP) included as Appendix 8-B.
The Project does not anticipate impacts on schools, civic facilities, recreational facilities, and
commercial areas within the Project Study Area. Consultation with representatives of schools and
civic facilities within the Study Area and further detail on the Projects potential impacts to these
entities is included in Exhibit 18 (Socioeconomic Effects) and Exhibit 16 (Effect on Transportation).
Overall, the development of renewable energy facilities such as a large-scale solar project is
permitted use within the AG zoning district of Lansing and the RA zoning district of Groton.
Additionally, the responsible development of clean energy systems and striking a balance
between economic development and agricultural production are stated goals in both the Lansing
and Groton comprehensive plans. The Project is in line with this goal by minimizing impacts to
agricultural resources and residential land uses, while providing economic benefits through
increased tax revenue and job creation.
3(m) Qualitative Assessment of Project Compatibility with Existing, Potential, and
Proposed Above-ground Facilities
A qualitative assessment was completed for the Project to determine the level of compatibility
with existing, potential, and proposed above-ground facilities within the Study Area. The
qualitative assessment evaluates short- and long-term effects of Project-generated noise, odor,
traffic, and visual impacts on the use and enjoyment of areas within five miles of the Project.
The assessment includes evaluation of the compatibility of the Project’s aboveground
structures including commercial-scale solar arrays, inverters, and fencing, as well as any
aboveground interconnections. The Project Site totals approximately 754 acres and the area
within the limit of disturbance (LOD) for the Project totals approximately 859 acres that Project
Components will physically occupy.
The collection lines will be placed underground for the entirety of their length and installed
primarily via open trenching, along with some portions via HDD in order to avoid wetland
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resources and roadways. The proposed aboveground interconnection line consists of a short
span of approximately 130 feet, from the proposed collection substation to the existing 115kV
transmission line between Milliken and Etna substations, line #975. Where the installation of
the collection line will utilize HDD, the only impacts will be temporary and located at the entry
and exit points of the HDD equipment. Once built, the Project will not have any adverse impacts
to existing or proposed land uses. Interconnection facilities within the Project Site include
limited above ground collection lines, and the location of these above ground collection lines
have been properly sited to avoid impacts to nearby land uses to the maximum extent
practicable. The proposed collection substation, as well as the aboveground interconnection
line, will be partly located on agricultural land, which will be restored and returned to meadow-
like conditions following the useful life of the Project. This will allow for continued agricultural
use or allow for the land to be utilized for other permitted land uses if desired by the
landowner. The Project will not result in permanent impacts to existing or proposed nearby
land uses and is compatible with existing uses.
3(n) Qualitative Assessment of Project Compatibility with Existing, Potential, and
Proposed Underground Facilities
Collection lines from the inverters to the collection substation will be placed underground
within the Project Site. Approximately 5.5 miles of collection lines are sited within land
designated as Agricultural Land. The collection circuit will be underground and will only require
temporary impacts on land uses as part of installation (see Exhibit 15 [Agricultural Resources]
for temporary impacts on Agricultural Resources in the vicinity of the Project). Underground
collection lines will remain within the Project Site and will interconnect to the proposed
substation, also located within the Project Site.
As outlined in Exhibit 20 (Effects on Communication), no major communications cables were
identified within 1-mile of the Project Parcels and the Applicant will coordinate with UDig New
York prior to commencing any construction activities to identify the locations of underground
cable or fiber-optic major transmission telecommunications lines. Once operational, the Project
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is not expected to interfere with communications systems due to the low profile and short
range of electromagnetic interference from PV panels.
Overall, the Project will be compatible with existing and potential land uses within the Study
Area by not encroaching on the land uses associated with adjacent and surrounding parcels,
and by coordinating closely with UDig New York prior to commencing construction activities.
3(o) Conformance with Coastal Zone Management
The Project is not located within a designated coastal area. However, portions of the Study Area
are within a designated coastal area (Cayuga Lake) and a LWRP in the Town of Lansing. As
previously mentioned in Section 3(j), in 2004, the Towns of Lansing, Ithaca, and Ulysses, the
Villages of Lansing and Cayuga Heights, the City of Ithaca, and the County of Tompkins adopted
the Cayuga Lake Waterfront Plan under LWRP. This area around Cayuga Lake is identified in
Figure 3-8.
The Project will not produce air pollution, water pollution, or odors and is not anticipated to
impact Cayuga Lake. As detailed in Appendix 13-C, the Applicant has prepared a SWPPP to
ensure that stormwater present on the site will not run off onto adjacent parcels. Additionally,
the Applicant has prepared a Spill, Pollution, Control, and Countermeasure Plan (SPCC) included
as Appendix 13-F to ensure that any spills occurring during construction or operation of the
Project will be controlled and that impacts resulting from such spills will be minimized. The
Project will not conflict with the LWRP as the Project is situated to minimally disturb the
surrounding natural resources and have low impact on the natural community.
3(p) Aerial Photographs of All Properties
Figure 3-9 represents aerial photographs of properties within the five-mile Study Area. The
Applicant is not aware of any material changes to natural and cultural features that have
occurred since the aerial photographs were taken.
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3(q) Aerial Photograph Overlays
Figure 3-9 represents aerial photography overlaid with proposed Project Components to show
the relationship with existing structures and vegetation cover types.
3(r) Current Land Use
Figure 3-9 illustrates aerial photographs that reflect current land uses within the Project Site.
Photographs were derived from Google Maps online service layer, and the Applicant believes
these photographs best capture the current land use of the Project Site. Figure 3-3 further
depicts current land uses within the Study Area.
3(s) Community Character of the Study Area
The Project Site is located in Central New York in a rural area of Tompkins County as shown on
the figures included in this Exhibit. The applicant worked with the Town of Groton and the
Town of Lansing, landowners, and stakeholders to identify specific characteristics of the
community that are of particular importance in the region. Land within the Towns are primarily
used for agriculture, and consist of agricultural fields, forested land, utility ROWs, residences,
farm buildings, streams, wetlands, hedgerows, farm ponds, outbuildings, storage silos, small
paved roads, and unimproved farm roads. The local communities take pride in the area’s rural
and tranquil environment and want to preserve the culture while developing the Towns. The
Project will have little impact on the existing land use in the 84,338-acre Study Area, as the
Projects LOD is limited to 859 acres. The primary potential effects will be during construction,
which is temporary. Mitigation measures will be employed to minimize construction impacts
relating primarily to fugitive dust and noise. Current recreational, cultural, and other concurrent
uses, such as farming, can continue uninterrupted as usual outside of the Project Site. The
community character of the area was assessed through review of local zoning ordinances, the
Tompkins County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan, and other related public
engagement efforts.
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Community character includes defining features and interactions of the natural, social, and built
environment, and how those features are used and appreciated in the community, based on
the land use plans discussed in Section 3(h), as well as information obtained through pre-
application consultations. The Applicant has consulted with local municipalities, landowners,
and stakeholders to identify specific characteristics of the community that are of particular
importance to the region.
The natural environment includes agricultural land, forested land, conservation lands,
recreation sites, rural residencies, and water resources in the area. Vegetative screening will be
planted, offsetting the impact to forested land & rural residencies. The proposed vegetative
screening contains native trees and shrubs. Project components were sited away from forested
land to the maximum extent practicable to prevent wildlife habitat loss. Approximately 653
acres of agricultural land will be used in the Project Site. This land will be used during the
operational life of the Project. Thereafter, the land will be substantially restored to its existing
condition and will be available to be reclaimed for agricultural use after the Project is
decommissioned, limiting the impacts to this land type. Further information regarding the
Project’s ecological impacts are detailed in Exhibit 11 (Terrestrial Ecology).
The major water resources in the vicinity of the Project include Salmon Creek, Locke Creek,
Owasco Stream, Cayuga Lake and onsite delineated wetlands and streams. These major water
resources are located outside of the Project Site and will not be impacted by Project
construction and operation. The delineated wetlands and streams have been avoided to the
maximum extent practicable when siting Project Components, as discussed in Exhibit 14
(Wetlands).
The Project is sited away from nearby developed areas, and cultural resources were considered
and protected during Project design. The social environment includes developed areas that
contain restaurants, shops, meeting places, recreational facilities, churches, and centers for
community gatherings. While none are located in the immediate vicinity of the Project Site,
there are several restaurants, churches, and stores located within the Study Area. The Project
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will not negatively impact any of these social features, as all Project components will be
installed within the Project Site boundaries. A discussion of the socioeconomic benefit of the
Project has been included in Exhibit 18 (Socioeconomic Effects). Some temporary, minimal
traffic may result from construction traffic as discussed in Exhibit 16 (Effect on Transportation)
but will dissipate during operation of the Project.
Lastly, the nearby built environment includes some social buildings described above,
commercial areas, public utilities, and residential buildings. The closest commercial areas within
the Study Area lie approximately 1 mile southwest of the Project Site but will not be impacted
aside from the temporary and minimal construction traffic. There are multiple residential
parcels located adjacent to the Project Site; however, the Applicant worked carefully to design
and site the Project to maximize the efficiency of the solar arrays and ensure they are located
an appropriate distance from non-participating adjacent landowners. The primary potential
impacts considered for residential land are excess noise and visibility, which are discussed in
Exhibit 7 (Noise and Vibration) and Exhibit 8 (Visual Impacts).
All three of these features, the natural, social, and built environments, contribute to the rural
community character of the area. The Applicant intends to protect this character through the
careful design and siting of the Project.
The Applicant has strived to balance the goals of the State and the Project with the goals of the
community, as outlined in the Tompkins County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan, the
Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan, the Town and Village of Groton Comprehensive Plan,
and the Town of Lansing Comprehensive Plan, and as discussed with local landowners. Exhibit
17 (Consistency with Energy Planning Objectives) discusses the reasonable alternative Project
layouts that were evaluated as part of this balancing effort. Exhibit 17 details State laws and
programs that set aggressive clean energy targets to combat climate change by reducing
greenhouse gas emissions from State’s energy sector.
Avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures that were used in Project siting are directly
related to the community character of the area. The selected technology of PV solar arrays will
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result in an efficient layout minimizing the area of land, to the maximum extent practicable,
that is required to achieve 160 MW of energy production. The collection lines will be placed
underground to decrease aboveground impacts along the public roads. The Applicant will be
adhering to ORES required setback limits and has adhered to various stricter setback
requirements detailed in the Town of Lansing and the Town of Groton zoning regulations to
maintain open space and local character of the area as detailed in Exhibit 24 (Local Laws &
Ordinances). A Landscape Plan, included as Attachment 1 of Appendix 8-B, depicts the
vegetative screening that will screen the Project Components to reduce visibility and also help
maintain the visible greenery in the landscape that makes up the rural character.
The studies and evaluations that have been prepared as part of this Application are described in
further detail in specific exhibits and associated appendices. Each Exhibit provides additional
information related to how the studies and evaluations were performed and provide details
that pertain to the community character of the Study Area, as well as how unavoidable impacts
will be mitigated.
3(t) Historic Contamination in the Study Area
The Yellow Barn Solar site is not a repurposed site; therefore this section is not applicable to
the Project.
3(u) Oil, Gas, and Mining in the Study Area
There are no known oil, gas, or mining solution wells within five hundred feet of the proposed
Project Site. The NYSDEC NY State Mines and Wells viewer was reviewed and no mines or wells
are located in the Project Site.38 As the Project is located in NYSDEC Region 7, the Applicant
conducted a magnetometer survey pursuant to §900-2.4(u). The magnetometer survey was
conducted October-December, 2022 by Aerodyne utilizing Skyfront Perimeter 8+ and DJI
Matrice 600 Pro drones and is provided in Figure 3-10.
38 Oak Ridge National Laboratory Data, “Oil and Natural Gas Wells”
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The drones were piloted by operators with 14 CFR Part 107 or 14 CFR Part 10 certifications. Tie-
Line flight transects were flown with 150-meter side spacing while primary mission flight
transects were flown 25 meter side spacing. Flight data files and flight logs were uploaded daily
by EDCON-PRJ in November and December of 2022. Initial processing began with the trimming
of line-ends to eliminate bird swing at the beginning of lines. A Gaussian filter with a sample
spacing of one fid and a standard deviation of 8 was applied to the raw magnetics as is always
the procedure with Juniper drone data. The data was then decimated from 1,000 Hz to 10 Hz.
USGS base data were available from the Fredericksburg Virginia Intermagnet Observatory,
located 280 miles south of the survey areas. These data were downloaded and a constant of
1,500 nT was removed to level them with the base data at the survey site. A 2.5 second
smoothing filter was then applied to the base data in preparation of diurnal variation removal.
A compensation routine removed magnetic noise from the raw data. Additionally, a 10-second
low-pass filter was found to be the optimal filter for removing noise caused by bird swing and
was applied to the raw magnetics data channel on each flight to remove noise from the
profiles. IGRF and filtered base magnetics were removed from the filtered magnetics and DC
leveling was applied. Line pulls were still present after DC leveling. Depth slicing was then
applied to the data and a slight strike filter was applied to the intermediate component to
remove any remnant line-pulls. The deep and intermediate components were then added
together and used as a leveling surface in micro-leveling resulting in the final leveled magnetics.
Gridding was done using minimum-curvature gridding with a grid spacing of 10 meters. Using
the gridded data, magnetic highs were selected using a grid peak algorithm. Peak locations
were checked against current and historical imagery data to interpret the possible source.
The magnetometer survey found no signs of mines, or oil and gas wells around the Project
Parcels. Twenty of the twenty-one magnetic signatures identified came from existing
residences. There is one magnetic signature, shown in Figure 3-10, that is in a field, however it
was confirmed by the Aerodyne Group that this signature was too small to be a well or mine.
The Applicant also consulted with the landowner where this signature originated from and
confirmed a lack of wells/mines on the property. Further detail behind the survey procedures
can be found in Appendix 3-I (Magnetometer Survey Procedure).
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Groton Comprehensive Plan. n.d. https://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/cfa/project/370555.
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