Solar Cap Protected!

Our town’s rural character and open spaces are what make this community so special. That is why, from the very beginning, I have believed that massive utility-scale solar fields are not the right fit for our town.

When New York State began aggressively pushing for large-scale solar development during our 2021 building moratorium, we faced a major challenge. Legal counsel from the New York State Association of Towns (NYSAOT) warned us that trying to ban solar entirely would backfire—the state could simply overrule our local laws and permit even larger, unchecked developments.

A Proactive Approach to Protection

Rather than waiting for the state to dictate our future, your Town Board took a proactive, defensive approach. We researched extensively and enacted a strict 150-acre town-wide solar cap alongside some of the toughest regulations in the region:

• Zero Ground Concrete: Banning concrete footings to protect soil health.

• Heavy Visual Screening: Entrusting our planning board with keeping projects mostly out of sight.

• Upfront Cash Decommissioning Fees: Fully paid by developers so taxpayers are never on the hook.

• Host Community Agreements: Securing $2,500 per megawatt annually for 15 years, with every dollar strictly earmarked for farmland and open space preservation, aligning perfectly with our Comprehensive Plan.

While several neighboring towns in Saratoga County unfortunately lost control of their zoning and saw massive developments as a result, our proactive strategy successfully held the line.

Holding the Line on Growth

To date, our Planning Board has approved four carefully placed, low-impact commercial solar installations—totaling roughly 125 acres—all tucked away or heavily screened on Randall Road, Route 50/Middleline, near Wakeman, and along Mann and Garrett.

When a local stakeholder applied for the final 25 acres of our cap, they requested an additional 15-acre expansion to make their project economically viable. The Town Board stood firm: we unanimously refused to expand the cap.

Resolving a Crisis Through Dialogue

Even after my term concluded, this issue remained critical. The developer began pursuing a variance and considering legal action to bypass our 150-acre limit. A lengthy, costly court battle risked throwing out our entire local law, potentially opening the floodgates to unchecked solar development.

Recognizing what was at stake for our town, I stayed engaged. When the landowner reached out with compromise proposals, I brought them to a trusted member of the Town Board for an informal discussion. While we rejected those initial proposals, the dialogue kept the door open.

Ultimately, we achieved the best possible outcome for our residents. By maintaining an open, respectful line of communication with the landowner, we successfully negotiated an informal agreement to keep the project strictly under the existing 150-acre cap, utilizing the exact same financial protections and benefits as the previous agreements. This project will be formally approved or denied by our Planning Board in 2026.

Looking Forward

Crisis averted. With the 150-acre cap now fully utilized, the Building Department will no longer be accepting applications for large-scale solar development in our town.

While the path to this resolution was unconventional, it saved our taxpayers from a costly legal battle and, most importantly, preserved the integrity of the code we built to protect our town. I am glad to have played a part in defending our community's vision.