By Doug La Rocque
The Thursday, April 5 meeting opened with a continuation of the combined public hearing for the proposed High Peaks Solar Project on land behind the Hope Methodist Church on Route 2 in Eagle Mills. The Planning Board was once again joined by the Zoning Board of Appeals at the hearing. High Peaks is proposing to construct a solar energy facility that would sell electricity back to the general public, at a rate believed by the company to be about 20 percent less than what customers currently pay on their utility bills. Both Boards voted to close the hearing, after again hearing all positive comments. The issue that arose concerns some small wetlands within 100 feet of the project. The Planning Board informing High Peaks owner Kevin Bailey, he must first obtain a clearance from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, before they can give final approval. Mr. Bailey hopes to have that approval within the 62 day time limit the Board has to act once the public hearing is closed, but gave the Board verbal permission to extend that time period, something he hopes won’t be necessary.
A Previously Unidentified Wetlands Issue
The proposed expansion of the Ace Hardware complex on Hoosick Road (Route 7) was also the subject of a public hearing, this time with only the Planning Board present. Ace is asking for permission to build a 3,000 foot extension on the back of the current hardware store to house its rental center, tear down the building it currently occupies and replace it with a two story multi use structure. There were no speakers at the public hearing, but Ace officials ran afoul of the Board’s Chairman Russ Oster and Engineer Wayne Bonesteel. Their application for this expansion showed there were no wetlands on the site, but they were identified as existing in the northwest corner of the lot on the original site plan application filed in 2011. This prompted Chairman Oster to ask “how do wetlands just…disappear.” The Board also indicated to Ace, it did not feel they did their “due diligence” on this project and informed the company the application could go no further until the site plan was updated to include the wetlands and they either obtained a permit from the Department of Environmental Conservation or a letter from DEC stating they do not need a permit.
The Board voted to close the public hearing on the condition Ace agree to an extension of the 62 day time limit for the Board to act. Ace officials gave their verbal agreement. Both issues were placed on the agenda for the Board’s next meeting, if the qualifying conditions have been met.