Sharon Solar Facility Might Get Approval Soon

SHARON SPRINGS — Sharon Solar Vista, a proposed five megawatt solar energy facility on a portion of the Helen Roberts Farm in the Town of Sharon, might get approved in April.

Sharon Springs Joint Planning Board Chairman Ray Parsons brought up that possibility at the board's Wednesday, Feb. 18 meeting. The SSJPB is the lead reviewing agency for the project and would be the body to grant site plan approval if it so decides.

The board is planning to at its March 18 meeting set a public hearing for the project for its April 15 meeting.

"If it went well, theoretically, we could have an approval that night (April 15)," Parsons said. While there was brief discussion of other items, Sharon Solar Vista was the only full-fledged agenda item at the Feb. 18 meeting.

Chad Dickason, owner of Free State Solar LLC and Sharon Solar Vista that would build the facility, Engineer Jodie Serowski of Lamont Engineers and Jutta Middel of Renua Energy all attended the meeting on behalf of Sharon Solar Vista to provide information and answer questions on the project.

The three went through a long series of questions on an Environmental Assessment Form. Most of the questions were answered with a response that the project would have little or no significant negative impact on issues like noise, air, light, erosion and others. Some of the questions would require more evaluation from the board, Serowski pointed out.

The project is slated for an approximately 9.5-acre portion of the farm on Slate Hill Road. Todd and Patti Countryman, who live right across the road, attended the Feb. 18 Joint Planning Board meeting to ask questions and offer comments from time to time. Dickason said he's been working with the Countrymans to minimize any visual or other possible negative impacts the project would have on them, as much as possible.

"We're working on it," Todd Countryman said.

"My biggest concern would be the impact on neighbors and you're working on that and hopefully will come up with something," Parsons noted.

Early in the discussion, Joint Planning Board Secretary Ron Ketelsen asked Dickason if the facility would need to be cleared of snow in the event of a major snowstorm of several feet. Dickason responded that there's a certain company that would monitor that and clear snow if it deemed it necessary. He added that electric generation from the solar panels would be less during much of the winter anyway.

"If we lose a week in January or something like that, in the grand scheme of things it won't cause major issues," Dickason said.

Before the Sharon Solar Vista discussion, Ketelsen announced that the Village of Sharon Springs has received a letter from C.T. Male Associates on behalf of Hoshino Resorts New York requesting that the village consider taking ownership of the water main along Beechwood Road.

Hoshino is proposing a Japanese hot spring inn resort for a 50-acre site at Main Street and Beechwood Road in the Village of Sharon Springs and Town of Sharon. The letter from C,T. Male continues that the water main extension along Beechwood is necessary to serve the project.

"The water main extension is being designed in accordance with village and Department of Health requirements for a public water main," the letter states. "Hoshino will construct the water main to municipal standards and dedicate the water main to the village. The remainder of the water system for the project will be constructed on Hoshino property and will be privately owned and operated."

The Joint Planning Board is the lead review agency for the Hoshino project.