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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-10-07 October 7, 2020 1 EMERGENCY TOWN BOARD MEETING October 7, 2020 Town of Lansing YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs2FqU2xFnDyGS8DwXgoJwA An Emergency Meeting of the Lansing Town Board was held at the Town Hall Board Room, 29 Auburn Road, Lansing, NY on the above date at 10:31 a.m. The meeting was called to order by Edward LaVigne, Supervisor, and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Roll call by Deborah K. Munson, Town Clerk, showed the following to be PRESENT: Andra Benson, Councilperson Doug Dake, Councilperson (remotely) Bronwyn Losey, Councilperson (remotely) Joseph Wetmore, Councilperson (remotely 10:35) Edward LaVigne, Supervisor ABSENT: No one absent ALSO PRESENT: C.J. Randall, Director of Planning (remotely), Ann Waling and Mitch Quine, CS Energy (remotely), Jeannine Kirby YELLOW BARN SOLAR PRESENTATION – CS ENERGY – ANN WALING AND MITCH QUINE Mitch Quine stated the following: • CS Energy was #1 solar contractor in New York State and New Jersey in 2019 • Project involves Town of Lansing and Town of Groton • Wholesale power project – ties to transmission system • NYSERDA – 2020 RFP bid o Proof of interaction with Town o Deadline October 21, 2020 • 160 megawatt project – already submitted to NYSEG • VanOstrand Road near Buck Road • 1000 – 1300 acres total o Secured about 500 acres between Lansing and Groton ▪ 250 acres in Town o Town land still under negotiation ▪ Would like 250 – 600 acres in Lansing o Contiguous best – can work with 50 to 100 acres together • Lease and purchase land o Lease most common o Pay upfront payment to landowner while determining outcome o Some land is subdivided ▪ Needs to go through Planning Board o Lease for 25 years – potential extension to 40 years • Life of project about 30 years o Panels at end of project ▪ Modules – recycle and landfill ▪ This is new industry – hope for better solution • Toxic materials in panels 10 years ago o Cadmium no longer used o Lead base solder being phased out o Solder connections have some dangerous material o Silicone is primarily used o Copper and silver also used o If panels break, all contained – no leaking • Battery storage – not for this site • Decommissioning plan o Project specific o Follow New York State regulations and work with Town October 7, 2020 2 o Supervisor Ed LaVigne stated bond is typical • Exploring possibility of using farm land under panels (sheep, hay, etc.) • Staying away from prime soils when possible • New York State run process – Article 10, Article 23 or Section 94C Host Community Agreement with CS Energy and Town Director of Planning C.J. Randall explained the possible benefits to the Town 1. Discount on residents utility bills 2. Uniform pilot 3. Direct agreement between applicant and Town – ex. payment per megawatt Mitch Quine responded to C.J.: 1. Interested in discounts on residents utility bills 2. Sources of revenue to the Town a. Pilot with IDA – revenue goes to Town, County and School b. Direct / Host Community Benefit Program Agreement with the Town i. Possible upfront payment to Town – per megawatt basis ii. Possible donation of time or equipment for Town project, etc. c. Agriculture land removed from agriculture exemption i. CS Energy will pay additional taxes Supervisor Ed LaVigne stated: • Maybe inexpensive power for businesses in Town • Power Plant assessment dropped from $20 million to $2 million • Host Community Agreement important Mitch Quine responded to Ed: • Open to possibility of inexpensive power for businesses o Payments to Town fund for this Mitch Quine contact information: mitch.quine@csenergy.com 732-266-4255 MOTION TO AUTHORIZE TOWN SUPERVISOR TO EXECUTE LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR CS ENERGY’S YELLOW BARN SOLAR ENERGY FACILITY NYSERDA 2020 RES SOLICITATION APPLICATION MOTION M20-22 Councilperson Andra Benson, moved TO AUTHORIZE TOWN SUPERVISOR TO EXECUTE LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR CS ENERGY’S YELLOW BARN SOLAR ENERGY FACILITY NYSERDA 2020 RES SOLICITATION APPLICATION Councilperson Doug Dake, seconded the motion. All in Favor – 5 Opposed – 0 RESOLUTION URGING NYSERDA TO SUPPORT CAYUGA OPERATING COMPANY'S PROPOSAL TO PLACE A LARGE SOLAR INSTALLATION ON THE LAND OF THE FORMER CAYUGA POWER PLANT Councilperson Joseph Wetmore stated he would like a change made to the resolution. Councilperson Bronwyn Losey thanked Lansing Advisory Committee for Power Plant Future (LAC-PPF) and Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) for their hard work on this. Supervisor Edward LaVigne stated he thinks Councilperson Joseph Wetmore should recuse himself because his wife is on one of the committees that drafted the resolution and Joseph is proposing to change the resolution. Councilperson Joseph Wetmore did not see this as a conflict and did not recuse himself. October 7, 2020 3 Supervisor Edward LaVigne thanked both committees for their hard work drafting the resolution. He stated the resolution does not need to be changed. RESOLUTION 20-128 RESOLUTION URGING NYSERDA TO SUPPORT CAYUGA OPERATING COMPANY'S PROPOSAL TO PLACE A LARGE SOLAR INSTALLATION ON THE LAND OF THE FORMER CAYUGA POWER PLANT The following Resolution was duly presented for consideration by the Town Board: WHEREAS, the Cayuga Operating Company, LLC (Heorot) NY has retired the 306 MW coal-fired generating plant in Lansing, and is planning to re-purpose the facility as a 100 MW data center using renewable energy; and WHEREAS, sPower has proposed to develop a 100-200 MW scale solar power generating facility (known as Cayuga Solar) in the Town of Lansing that would include a portion of the solar power facility being installed on the property owned by Heorot; and WHEREAS, sPower has applied from NYSERDA for Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) in order to develop a 100-200 MW scale solar system; and WHEREAS, the former power plant site already has all the necessary infrastructure to interconnect the larger balance of the proposed solar facility to the electric grid; and WHEREAS, sPower is in negotiation with neighboring property owners in order to acquire a total of 1000-1400 acres to develop a 100-200 MW scale solar system in the Town and is pursuing the potential use of the Iberdrola owned property adjacent to the North known as the Bell Station property; and WHEREAS, sPower plans on putting some solar panels on the existing landfill at the power plant property; and WHEREAS, Cayuga Solar will conform to Lansing’s Solar and Wind Energy system laws; and WHEREAS, Lansing’s 2018 Comprehensive Plan states on page 42 in reference to the Bell Station property: “This approximately 490-acre parcel of property north of the Cayuga Operating Company (COC) Power Plant…is a critical lakefront property that needs to be conserved for present and future generations.”; and WHEREAS, numerous members of the Lansing Community have voiced their concerns about keeping both the lakeshore and the steep slopes as a state forest or as some kind of protected natural area; and WHEREAS, as stated in the Town of Lansing’s resolution in support of the Empire State Data Hub, the Cayuga Operating Company, LLC promises to fulfill its retirement obligations regarding plant deactivation and site restoration and will ensure that there is no runoff of heavy metals and other pollutants from the previous contamination from the power plant activity; and WHEREAS, Cayuga Solar will create temporary construction jobs and result in both a PILOT agreement and Community Host Benefit Agreement with the Town of Lansing. More importantly, long term, it aligns with the strategic environmental initiatives within our Town, and County; and WHEREAS, a strong and unified position by the Town of Lansing in support of sPower’s proposal will be critical to its success; the Town Board of the Town of Lansing has hereby: October 7, 2020 4 RESOLVED, the Town of Lansing formally supports a comprehensive environmental review of any potentially harmful impacts to the Town of Lansing and Cayuga Lake from the prior operation of the coal fired power plant; and be it further RESOLVED, the Town of Lansing strongly feels that the forested lakeshore land as well as the forested steep slopes land are critical lake front property that needs to be undeveloped and conserved for present and future generations; and be it further RESOLVED, the Town of Lansing supports the concept of sPower’s plans to develop a 100-200 MW scale solar system which is a beneficial re-use of existing industrial or dormant property. We believe the State of New York should be equally excited to make this a reality; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Town of Lansing Town Board hereby authorizes the Town Supervisor to execute a Letter of Support and a copy of this Resolution be included in sPower's application to the NYSERDA 2020 RES Solicitation. The question of the adoption of such proposed Resolution was duly motioned by Councilperson Bronwyn Losey, duly seconded by Supervisor Edward LaVigne, and put to a roll call vote with the following results: Councilperson Andra Benson – Aye Councilperson Doug Dake – Aye Councilperson Bronwyn Losey – Aye Councilperson Joseph Wetmore – Aye Supervisor Edward LaVigne – Aye Accordingly, the foregoing Resolution was approved, carried, and duly adopted on October 7, 2020. RESOLUTION HIRING FULL-TIME INFORMATION AIDE IN THE SUPERVISOR’S AND TOWN CLERK’S OFFICE RESOLUTION 20-129 RESOLUTION HIRING FULL-TIME INFORMATION AIDE IN THE SUPERVISOR’S AND TOWN CLERK’S OFFICE The following Resolution was duly presented for consideration by the Town Board: WHEREAS, the Supervisor’s and Town Clerk’s Office currently has a combined Full- Time Information Aide position available, for work time to be split between both departments; and WHEREAS, an acceptable and qualified candidate was located, and is therefore proposed to be hired to fulfill such job requirement; and WHEREAS, upon due deliberation thereupon, the Town Board of the Town of Lansing has hereby RESOLVED, that the position is approved to be employed as a Town of Lansing Grade 4, Step 2 Employee, as a Full-Time Information Aide, in the Supervisor’s and Town Clerk’s Office, with such employment to commence October 19, 2020 at the rate of $17.64 per hour for 36.5 hours per week. RESOLVED, the probationary period be and hereby is scheduled for 26 weeks. RESOLVED, that the appropriate Town officer be and hereby is authorized to make such changes to the Towns’ employment and civil service rosters, to file the required Civil Service forms to effect such changes per this Resolution, and to file Form 428s, if required. The question of the adoption of such proposed Resolution was duly motioned by Councilperson Andra Benson, duly seconded by Supervisor Edward LaVigne, and put to a roll call vote with the following results: October 7, 2020 5 Councilperson Andra Benson – Aye Councilperson Doug Dake – Aye Councilperson Bronwyn Losey – Aye Councilperson Joseph Wetmore – Aye Supervisor Edward LaVigne – Aye Accordingly, the foregoing Resolution was approved, carried, and duly adopted on October 7, 2020. ADJOURN MEETING Meeting adjourned at the call of the Supervisor at 11:29 a.m. Minutes taken and executed by the Town Clerk. Respectfully submitted, Deborah K. Munson, RMC Town Clerk