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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-02-08-PB-FINALTOWN OF ULYSSES PLANNING BOARD MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, February 8, 2017 Approved: February 21, 2017 Present: Chair David Blake, and board members Benjamin LeWalter, David Tyler and Sara Worden; Environmental Planner Darby Kiley, and Town Board Liaison Richard Goldman. Rebecca Schneider and John Wertis were excused. Mr. LeWalter was named a voting member. Public in Attendance: Jon McNamara and Kate Millar of Renovus Energy, and Caleb Scott of Scott Land & Yard. Call to Order: 7 p.m. Agenda Review; Minutes Review (1/17/2017) Mr. Tyler MADE the MOTION to accept the January 17, 2017 meeting minutes, and Mr. LeWalter SECONDED the MOTION. The motion was unanimously carried, 4-0. Privilege of the Floor: No one addressed the Planning Board at this time. Presentation on sheep grazing and continued consideration of Site Plan for a 2 MW photovoltaic system at 1574 Trumansburg Rd, Tax Parcel Number 33.4-3.2; A1 -Agricultural District. The proposed 2 MW solar project will cover approximately 10 acres adjacent to Trumansburg Rd. The panels will be a maximum height of 10 feet, surrounded by a six (6) ft fence, and 102 +/- white spruce trees will be planted parallel to Trumansburg Rd. Gates Acres, LLC, Owner; Power REIT, power purchaser; Renovus Energy, Inc., Agent. Mr. McNamara introduced Mr. Scott by saying Renovus sought sustainable models to maintain properties with their ground -mounted solar panels. Sheep further this effort. Mr. Scott said his Caroline -based company has been working closely with Cornell's major solar project. Having started as a hobby farm, the company now operates as a farm, design -build firm and contracting business that also does related site development — like building roadways and reseeding solar sites. Soon after being contracted for solar sites, the company realized maintenance models for solar properties are insufficient and costly; Mr. Scott said mowing grass around panels is also burdensome because of sharp angles and limited movability. In the past, the company had fielded requests to put herbicide down but was seeking more sustainable and cheaper options. The sheep accomplish this by eating the grass and woody plants and fertilizing the soil, thus eliminating the need for any herbicides. Watering systems can be costly to set up, but the big cost is trucking water to the sheep, he said. The company uses a gravity -feed system with float valves, allowing the sheep to get water as they need it. Laminated signs are posted on perimeter fencing that display information on sheep care, such as how often sheep are to be Planning Board 2 February 8, 2017 checked. The sheep themselves typically take cover under the panels, which eliminates any need for a built shelter. Again on the subject of water, Mr. Scott said sheep do not need an external water source since they can draw water out of the grasses they eat. It is likely water could be drawn from the property's well, a consideration Mr. Scott and Renovus have discussed. Mr. McNamara added he believes the on-site well is sufficient. Mr. Scott continued, reviewing the benefits of using sheep for green maintenance. The sheep are easy to maintain, provide milk, wool and meat, do not jump, climb or chew like goats, can easily fit under the panels and are calm and friendly. Icelandic sheep drop their fleece in the spring, so sheering is unnecessary. Asked to estimate how many sheep are needed at each solar site, Mr. Scott said two sheep per acre is generally how the numbers work for year-round maintenance. For smaller lawn areas, electro netting is used to confine the sheep, however, the company has not used electro netting around solar panels. Mr. Scott said sheep as a tool for lawn maintenance around solar projects has yet to catch on. Mr. Blake noted the potential for sheep to be an attractive nuisance, creating a liability issue if the animals draw attention from passersby. Mr. Scott said his company has yet to encounter that problem. He believes the net benefit of using sheep surpasses the liability. A farmer for all his life, Mr. Scott said he has been working with the sheep at solar sites for two full seasons now. He devised the idea about four years ago and now maintains five sites. Mr. LeWalter asked several questions regarding the water system and general care for the sheep. Mr. Scott said the common water system includes a 60 -gallon tank. At four of Scott's contracted sites, the sheep remain on the property; at another, the sheep are removed from the site. Mr. LeWalter asked how the sheep have access to the water in the event of snow or if the water freezes. Mr. Scott said sheep eat the snow, though a heating element would be the preferred remedy for a frozen water tank. In regard to food, Mr. Scott said the company's policy is to remove sheep from a site if there is a lack of greens. However, thus far, there has been enough food on-site at the properties Scott maintains. The sheep are also given proper care in the event of ailments like hoof rot, he said. First, though, they are removed from the site. Generally, sheep are similar to deer in that they do well in inclement conditions, like snow and rain. Thus far, the company has not lost any sheep to coyotes, he added. Speaking more to winter conditions, Mr. Scott said conditions are closely monitored to ensure the sheep have adequate water. The animals are not "set and forget", he said, and farmers monitor them on a weekly basis. The company's best interests are with the sheep and their well-being. Asked to explain contract parameters, Mr. Scott said his company — with insurance of $5 million — takes the contract for maintenance; if a tree falls on the perimeter fence, Scott's fixes it. The company subcontracts out for the sheep, working with a network of local and regional farmers with sheep herds. These farmers check on the sheep, he said. Mr. Scott concluded his presentation, and the Renovus representatives began theirs. Based on requests from Planning Board members at the January meeting, Mr. McNamara and Ms. Millar presented mock-ups of the proposed tree buffer along State Route 96, a plan that has been approved via a letter by a third -party arborist. Mr. LeWalter felt the mock-ups — some of which Planning Board 3 February 8, 2017 from the vantage point of a car on State Route 96 — failed to give an accurate portrayal. The property slopes upward some 20 feet west of the roadway, he said; panels will be visible. Mr. McNamara agreed that solar panels will be visible. Mr. LeWalter expressed concern about the potential for afternoon glare reflecting off the panels and back onto State Route 96. Mr. Tyler pointed out the panels are angled due south, and Mr. McNamara said glare would be practically nonexistent even without a tree buffer. The trees, he added, are being proposed more as an aesthetic characteristic of the project rather than a response to potential glare. The trees are expensive and — Mr. McNamara felt — unnecessary. Renovus has proved its work in regard to glare, he said. Mr. LeWalter said the Planning Board must look out for the safety of others in the area. Though the mockups give a visual interpretation from the vantage point of a passenger vehicle, what about large trucks that use Route 96? Ms. Millar said any glare would be negligible, and that is why Renovus is comfortable with the proposed 10 -to -12 foot tree plantings. Ms. Kiley noted the panels would be hundreds of feet off the road and any potential glare would be peripheral from a driver's perspective. Mr. LeWalter felt spruces would do well as a buffer, able to tolerate road- side abuse. Twelve -foot tall trees are in the right ballpark, he said. Mr. LeWalter also expressed concerns about glare for Krum Corners homeowners southwest of the panels. He said he is uncomfortable with not having a planting plan on other edges of the property, like on the southwest side. Ms. Kiley noted all homeowners within 500 feet of the property would be notified of the public hearing. Mr. McNamara said projects like the one being proposed offer an affordable option for those wanting to invest in solar but who have been priced out in the past. A letter from the Tompkins County Planning Department was briefly discussed. Ms. Kiley mentioned some of the County's efforts to develop a more consistent approach toward maintenance at solar sites. Mr. LeWalter added that the tree buffer along Route 96 was too close to power lines. He felt the trees would grow into the lines. Mr. McNamara and Ms. Millar both noted the tree buffer is 10 feet back from the right-of-way. Given their location on the Renovus property, it will be Renovus's responsibility — not NYSEG's — to cut the trees, Ms. Millar said, adding she does not see the risk. Asked by Ms. Kiley if the other Planning Board members had similar concerns, all three said they did not. Further, Mr. Blake, Mr. Tyler and Ms. Worden felt no additional information was needed from Renovus. Mr. Blake MADE the MOTION to schedule a public hearing for March 7, 2017, and Mr. Tyler SECONDED the MOTION. The motion was unanimously carried. The Renovus portion of the meeting concluded at 8:19 p.m. Consideration of Sketch Plan/Site Plan for renovations to the building known as Lakeview at the Inn at Taughannock, located at 2031 Gorge Rd, Tax Parcel Number 14.-3-18.2, B1 -Business District. The proposed project is to convert a garage into a fitness room. The exterior changes include the removal of garage doors to be replaced with a wall with windows and the addition of Planning Board 4 February 8, 2017 a ramp to the front door. TFI LANDCO LLC, owner; Carl Mazzocone, agent; and Jason K Demarest Architecture, architect. With no representatives from the Inn at Taughannock present, Ms. Kiley gave a brief overview of the proposal as presented, which includes minor exterior changes. Exterior alterations require Planning Board review. No SEQR is involved. Resolution for site plan approval Mr. Tyler MADE the MOTION to approve the resolution, and Ms. Worden SECONDED the motion as follows: WHEREAS: 1. This action is consideration of Site Plan approval for renovations to the building known as Lakeview at the Inn at Taughannock, located at 2031 Gorge Rd, Tax Parcel Number 14.-3-18.2, B 1 -Business District. The proposed project is to convert a garage into a fitness room. The exterior changes include the removal of garage doors to be replaced with a wall with windows and the addition of a ramp to the front door. TFI LANDCO LLC, owner; Carl Mazzocone, agent; and Jason K Demarest Architecture, architect; and 2. The proposed project is a Type II action and not subject to review under SEQR; and 3. Upon consultation with the Tompkins County Planning Department, the project is not subject to their review pursuant to NYS General Municipal Law §239-1, and - m; and 4. The Planning Board, at a public meeting held on February 8, 2017, has reviewed and accepted as adequate the project narrative; and the Perspective and Elevation (SPR 1.01) by Jason K Demarest Architecture, dated 12/27/16; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: 1. That the Planning Board of the Town of Ulysses hereby waives certain requirements, including a public hearing, for Site Plan Approval, having determined from the materials presented that such waiver will result in neither a significant alteration of the purpose of site plan control nor the policies enunciated or implied by the Town; and 2. That the Town of Ulysses Planning Board approves site plan as shown on the following: Perspective and Elevation (SPR1.01) by Jason K Demarest Architecture, dated 12/27/16. The vote was as follows: Mr. Blake AYE Mr. LeWalter AYE Mr. Tyler AYE Ms. Worden AYE Planning Board 5 February 8, 2017 Result: Resolutions passes. The Planning Board reached a consensus to postpone discussing Town solar regulations until its next meeting — February 21 — to allow Ms. Schneider and Mr. Wertis to participate. Ms. Kiley also said the Board may choose to review a draft zoning document recently put forward by the Town's Steering Committee for Zoning Updates. Comments on the draft are due back to the Steering Committee by May 4. Mr. Tyler MADE the MOTION to adjourn the meeting, and Mr. LeWalter SECONDED the MOTION. The motion was unanimously carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:44 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Louis A. DiPietro II on February 15, 2017.