Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-28-2016 CSAC minutes approved 1 Conservation and Sustainability Advisory Committee Minutes of December 28, 2016 meeting Present: Roxanne Marino, Robert Oswald, Sue Poelvoorde, Brice Smith Excused: Andy Hillman, Bara Hotchkiss Roxanne called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. Minutes Roxanne submitted the draft October 13, 2016 meeting minutes for review and approval. Sue moved to accept the meeting minutes as submitted. Roxanne seconded. Unanimously approved. Roxanne submitted the draft November 17, 2016 meeting minutes for review and approval. Sue provided three minor typing and punctuation corrections. Robert moved to accept the meeting minutes with the corrections. Sue seconded. Unanimously approved. Roxanne informed the group that Don Ellis is interested in joining the committee. Don is currently working with Andy Hillman and members of the Trumansburg Fairgrounds board to address replacing the aging trees at the fairgrounds and would like to continue to be involved in conservation activities. Don previously served as a Town Board member and was active in the last update of the Town’s Zoning Law. Sue moved to have Roxanne submit Don Ellis’s name to the Ulysses Town Board for consideration to fill a seat on the CSAC committee. Robert seconded. Unanimously approved. Old Business A) Large-scale solar installations in the town The committee reviewed two draft documents that will be submitted to the Town Board for consideration recommending amendments to the Town’s Local Law No. 3 of 2015 covering provisions for installations of minor and major solar collection systems. The first document reviewed was the draft design standards for evaluating glare impacts from major solar collection systems. The design standards define how to evaluate the glare, the limits for glare and mitigation measures that applicants will be required to take. Roxanne moved to submit to the Town Board and Environmental Planner for consideration Version 1.3 of the Draft Design Standard for Glare from Major Solar Collection Systems with the edits made by the committee. Robert seconded. Unanimously approved. The second document reviewed was the summary memo outlining all changes the CSAC recommends be made to the Town’s Local Law No. 3 of 2015 covering provisions for installations of minor and major solar collection systems. The memo provides 2 recommendations to add the design standards to address glare, revision to the height restriction to allow a non-vegetative glare mitigation option, language to discourage use of impermeable mounting foundations, adding a form to the application specifying the information and mode of presentation for the results of the glare analysis, identifying areas of the town where major solar collections systems would be prohibited, and clarifying language regarding vegetative screening of systems. Brice moved to submit to the Town Board and Environmental Planner for consideration the memo detailing the CSAC’s recommendations for updating Local Law No. 3 of 2015. Sue seconded. Unanimously approved. B) Zoning update Roxanne noted that there was no new information about the agricultural zone update document. The Zoning Update Committee will meet twice in January. Roxanne did clarify that the stakeholder committees/groups, including the CSAC, will have a month to review the draft agriculture zone revisions and provide comments. C) Climate Smart Communities (DEC) and Clean Energy Community (NYSERDA) Roxanne reported on the most recent activity of Tompkins County Council of Governments’ (TCCOG) Energy Roadmap Working Group of which she, Supervisor Liz Thomas and Environmental Planner Darby Kiley participate. Of the two New York State energy programs, the Clean Energy Community program participation seems more achievable. There will be grant money available through the State to implement clean energy actions. The committee agreed that under either program there likely will be tasks that the CSAC will be suited to work on. Roxanne will continue to report out on the towns’ progress with the programs. New Business Discussion on PILOTs for large scale solar projects. Brice shared information he prepared regarding the impacts of payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) on the development and operation of major solar collection systems. A coalition of solar developers is working on the issue in than effort to develop a fair structure that may be implemented across the state as there are many taxing levels (state, counties, towns, villages, school districts, etc.) The committee discussed the information and Brice will prepare a short write-up that the CSAC will submit to the Town Board stating the committee’s position on PILOTs. The remainder of the agenda was tabled until the January 19, 2017 meeting. Meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.