County planners back bakery, auto repair shop and farmworker housing

Village of Albion proposes regulations for solar energy

ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board voted in support of several projects, including a bakery in Gaines, an auto repair shop in Ridgeway and farmworker housing in Gaines.

• Planners last Thursday recommended the Town of Gaines approve the site plan and issue a permit for Brian Ettinger to operate a bakery from his home at 3009 Brown Rd. There won’t be on-site consumption or serving. Sales will be through pickup or delivery.

• In Ridgeway, planners recommended approval for a permit for Kyle Morgan to operate a motor vehicle repair shop at 3925 Salt Works Rd. The 2,760-square-foot building includes a 3-bay garage. It has been used as an auto repair shop for more than 50 years. Morgan plans to run the business, KJM Kustoms, on a part-time basis.

• In Gaines, Haylett Farm Enterprises is proposing to build a 30-person labor house at 3147 Kenyonville Rd. for seasonal farmworkers. County planners recommended the Town of Gaines approve the site plan and issue a permit for the project.

• The Planning Board also backed the Village of Albion’s proposed regulations for solar projects in the village. The village will allow roof-mounted and ground-mounted solar projects.

For large-scale projects (bigger than 25 kW), the village establishes regulations for setbacks and lot sizes, as well as a decommissioning plan. Applications for solar projects also will require blueprints, proposed changes to landscape, description of the solar farm facility and an operation and maintenance plan.

The large-scale projects that are ground-mounted shall not exceed 12 feet in height, and need to maintain a front setback of at least 75 feet in a retail business/airport/commercial and/or recreational area with rear and side setbacks at least 25 feet in those areas.

The front setback should be at least 100 feet for residential and light industrial areas, and rear and side setbacks at least 200 feet when abutting residential property and 100 feet when abutting business and commercial zones.

The large-scale projects need to be on a minimum lot size of 10 acres, with the ground-mounted solar energy system not exceeding more than 80 percent of the lot size. The systems also will need to be enclosed by fencing.