Murray solar regulations backed by County Planning Board
ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board is backing new regulations proposed for solar energy systems in the Town of Murray.
The town is proposing to require property owners to secure building permits for solar energy systems, whether rooftop or building mounted, or freestanding, solar thermal or building-integrated photovoltaic.
Freestanding or ground mounted systems need site plan approval from the town, and must be at lots with a minimum size of 40,000 square feet.
The ground-mounted systems are limited to 12 feet in height, and will require landscape screening or other buffers.
Larger-scale projects, solar farms, will need to be enclosed by perimeter fencing, have appropriate screening and landscaping, be limited in height to 12 feet, on-site power lines need to be placed underground to the extent possible, glare shall be avoided in the design and siting of the panels, a maximum lot coverage will be 75 percent, and there needs to be a decommissioning plan.
The County Planning Board backed the proposal from Murray, a town that is working to become a certified “Climate Smart Community” through the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
• The Planning Board also recommended the Town of Clarendon extend a moratorium by another 120 days that temporarily bans mobile home construction at sites outside mobile home parks.
The extension gives the town additional time to research options for regulations of mobile homes, and to develop, consider and enact a local law for mobile homes in all residential districts.
• The Planning Board supported an amended site plan for ARG Recycling Center to build an 8,000-square-foot construction and demolition debris processing facility at 330 Washington St.
The plan was revised from an earlier one approved by the Planning Board. The revised plan moves the processing facility 19 feet further east or about 300 feet from an existing building on the property. A proposed dumpster storage (186 by 60 feet) at the rear is no longer included in the project.
A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) is now included in the plan and avoids disturbing a drainage ditch on site.
