Kendall passes moratorium on industrial solar projects
Residents urged to support petition lowering speed limit by school
KENDALL – Town Board members on Tuesday evening enacted a moratorium on industrial solar energy generation facilities by adopting Local Law 1 of 2016.
The moratorium of 180 days is meant to give the Town Board time to enact a local law regulating construction of industrial solar facilities.
It does not pertain to residential installations on or around homes, Town Supervisor Tony Cammarata noted.
Councilman Bruce Newell reported that the Kendall planning and zoning boards have begun work on a code for large-scale solar projects in the town. The Town Board adopted Local Law 1 of 2016 after adding wording that development of solar energy facility regulations be referred to the Town Planning Board. The town continues to look into the NYS Affordable Solar Program for Community Distributed Solar.
Newell said he had hoped to have some numbers to report for Tuesday’s meeting, but continues to pull information together.
In other business, Supervisor Cammarata encouraged all town residents to sign a petition calling for a reduction of the 50-mile per hour speed limit on Roosevelt Highway (Route 18) outside the Kendall Jr./Sr. High School.
A group of concerned parents and community members is working to have the state lower the speed to as low as 20 miles per hour in the school zone during school hours.
“We as a community should be asking the Department of Transportation to assist us with this request,” Cammarata said.
He noted that Holley and Albion have reduced speeds outside their schools which are located on busy roads, and that the conditions outside the Jr./Sr. High School in Kendall are dangerous.
“We don’t want any more accidents,” Cammarata said. “Safety is a predominant issue. I would ask all residents to sign the petition.”
The town supervisor also reported that with Key Bank’s decision to close the First Niagara branch in the Village of Holley, the Town of Kendall will begin looking at other financial institutions to meet banking needs.
“We will have to travel farther for deposits, Brockport or Albion,” Cammarata explained. “It’s a hardship for us and an added expense … if we get a better program with a different financial institution than Key Bank, then we will make that change.”
Cammarata said the Town Board will make its decision by the time of the annual reorganizational meeting in January.
