The Town of Batavia Planning Board approved two 20 acre solar projects on West Main street road at their Tuesday night meeting.
The application by Borrego Solar Systems Inc. required approval of a special use permit for the project at 3232 West Main street road and at 3134 West Main street road.
The Planning Board voted 6-0 to approve the permit at 3232 West Main street road, with Donald Partridge abstaining, since he is involved in a solar project on Ellicott street road.
The Board then voted 5-1 to approve the second special use permit for 3134 West Main street road, with Jeremy Liles voting no and Partridge abstaining.
Site plans for both projects were also approved.
Borrego Solar Systems approached the land owner, Fred Bowman, who says the land has been in his family for 104 years.
“Renting it out to somebody else in agriculture doesn’t much more than pay the taxes on it, this is more beneficial,” says Bowman
Bowman says half of each parcel will be used for solar. The other half he will continue to rent out to other farmers.
Project Developer Emilie Flanagan says the application process started in January with the Town of Batavia.
Meanwhile, on the other end of town, a handful of residents who live in the area of Donald Partridge’s Farm on Ellicott street road near Shepard road, gathered outside Town Hall after the Planning Board meeting looking for answers.
The Board was planning to discuss the Trousdale Solar Project and was looking to seek lead agency status for SEQR. However, the project could not be discussed since it was voted down at the ZBA meeting.
On Monday night, the group attended a Zoning Board of Appeals Public Hearing to voice their concerns about the proposed variance to permit the construction of a 5 MW Solar Energy Facility from 20 acres to approximately 40 acres, the project is being developed by Cypress Creek Renewables.
Donald Partridge is looking to combine two separate projects into one.
According to Bryan Stumpf, Zoning and Outreach Manager for Cypress Creek, this would make the project more affordable to construct.
Nearby resident Tim Morrow says he does not want to see 40 acres of solar panels in his backyard and is concerned about health issues that could result from that large of a project.
At this point, Planning Board Chairperson Kathy Jasinski says the Board is waiting for an attorney opinion, “We are not sure if what happened last night, if it was legal or not legal, so we just can’t do anything”
Residents living within 500 feet of the project will be advised and sent notification if the Planning Board has a public hearing on the project in the future.