Solar Law. In an addenda to the May 20, 2025 public hearing on the proposed law that would ban large scale solar farms in residential zones, Sarah Wilson, a member of the volunteer advisory Climate Smart Committee, made a presentation in support of continuing to allow the solar installations. Citing the need for additional solar energy she suggested several possible changes in the existing law in the event the Board decides to continue to allow them.
Supervisor Lachterman explained that the Board is still considering which way it wants to go, e.g., adopt the ban or modify the existing law. Also at issue is whether the two pending projects should be grandfathered. He said he plans to seek the advice of the town attorney on certain issues and also wants to get more information.
Councilwoman Siegel suggested that, like the Climate Smart Committee, the Conservation Board be given an opportunity to present its views on the proposed solar ban. Supervisor Lachterman said he had no objection to the idea
Yorktown Heights Fire District (See Planning Board, June 9, 2025.) This was a repeat of the presentation made to the Planning Board. The Fire District plans to hold an informational meeting, but no date was announced. (Check the web site https://yorktownfire.org for updates.) The bonds to pay for the project will be subject to a mandatory referendum. The district will also be seeking outside funding.
3766 Foothill Street wetlands permit. (Note: Although these meeting summaries do not usually include summaries of wetland permit applications that involve just one single family house, this application is being included because it gets to the heart of the town’s Wetlands Law, an issue that was raised at the recent hearing involving Navajo Fields.)
Because there is no access to the “high and dry” portion of the 7.6 acre parcel, the only access is from Foothill Street and would encroach on a DEC and town wetland. After Town
Engineer Dan Ciarcia explained that virtually the entire house would be in the wetland buffer, Councilwoman Siegel, noting that the Wetlands Law is permissive, not prohibitive, raised the issue of whether the extent of the encroachment violated the intent of the Law. Responding to her comments, Planning Director John Tegeder suggested that the house could be moved closer to the road in order to reduce the extent of the encroachment. Acting on Mr. Tegeder’s suggestion, the Board will wait for the applicant to submit a possibly revised site plan before referring out the application.
The video of the meeting is available at yorktownny.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=1979