LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — “Who benefits if solar farms are permitted in Cochecton?” asked board member Paul Salzberg at the March 22 meeting of the Cochecton Town Board.

“The landowner on whose property the farm is located,” replied supervisor Gary Maas, adding that the landowner derives monthly income from a lease agreement with the energy company sponsoring the farm.

“Will the farms create jobs for local residents?” asked Salzberg.

The answer came from Maas and code enforcement officer Greg Semenetz. It’s unlikely that the farms will generate more than a handful of jobs, which will probably be filled by the energy company’s own employees or by regional subcontractors. The work entailed is site preparation—a one-time clear-cutting of the land on which the farm is located—and regular cleaning and maintenance of solar panels for the life of the farm.

“Will the town receive lower-cost electricity from the farms?” asked a press representative.

“No,” said Maas.

“Will the town benefit from real property tax revenues?” asked Salzberg.

“Not if the state has its way,” said Maas. New York State extends 15-year real property tax exemptions to solar start-ups. But towns may elect to opt out of those exemptions. And that is the policy Maas favors. Noting that a 10-acre solar farm would be assessed at upwards of $1 million, Maas said that even one solar farm assessed at full value could significantly reduce residential taxpayer burden.

Another consideration was raised by Semenetz: what will a solar farm look like? “I saw a 10-acre solar farm in Pennsylvania last week. I wish I’d taken a picture of it for you. It was row on row of solar panels, with no green vegetation of any kind visible. If we decide to permit them, there should be minimum 100-foot setback requirements and mandatory roadside vegetation screens.”

Semenetz also urged Maas to hire a consultant to establish guidelines for planning board consideration and to draft appropriate language for commercial solar farm ordinances.

Following about an hour’s worth of discussion, the board’s

position on permitting solar farms within town borders was summed up by Maas. “We favor development of green energy technologies, but not when those technologies come at tremendous expense to the town with little or no compensating value added.”

Having formulated general policy with regard to solar farms, a vote on permitting them was postponed until the next regular meeting of the board on April 13. Meanwhile, Maas plans to check with his counterparts in neighboring towns to see how they plan to deal with the question of solar farms.

Some other business unrelated to solar farms was also quickly handled at the meeting. The board voted unanimously to advertise for construction bids on a 15-by-20-foot unit to house an ultraviolet disinfectant system, the centerpiece of the town’s sewer plant upgrade. Bids will be opened on April 26.

Several appointments were announced. Peter Pierce was appointed to the planning board, replacing Sharon Cardone who resigned. Pauline Johnson was appointed to the board of assessment review. And Charlie Keesler was named deputy highway superintendent and foreman, replacing retiree Phil Grisafe.