By the end of the month, the Town of Columbia will have in place a one-year ban on the development of large commercial solar projects.
Board members approved the moratorium at their meeting last week; Supervisor George Weiss abstained in the vote.
The moratorium allows the Town to examine its three-year-old Solar Law and make updates. A group will be formed to review the law.
While this comes as EDF Renewables is taking steps to put a 2,200-acre solar farm primarily in Columbia, Town officials were unsure how much the moratorium will affect EDF’s plans. Because of the size of the project EDF will require state, not local, permits and approvals.
The process of the moratorium began in February. Councilman H. Ed Reed said Herkimer County had no response after the required 30-day review.
The law goes into effect when the New York Secretary of State’s Office files it.
During public discussion mention was made of the May 9 Open House by EDF from 5 to 8 p.m. at Francesca’s Banquets in Ilion.
Reed said he was asked to provide some areas of the Town’s project that are of particular concern so EDF can provide a visual presentation of what that area will look like. Reed’s suggestions are Jordanville/Jones road intersection, Millers Mills, Columbia Center and the Richfield Springs Scenic Railway path.
With a couple of days until the deadline, the Town has received…
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