Mount Kisco Approves Legislation Regulating Solar Panels
The Mount Kisco Village Board approved legislation last Monday to regulate the installation of solar arrays within the village ending several months of planning and sometimes lively debate.
The legislation passed by a 4-1 margin with Trustee Karen Schleimer the dissenting vote.
“This legislation demonstrates that this board is committed to promoting opportunities for clean renewable energy,” said Mayor Gina Picinich. “This legislation is very much aligned with the New York State goal that 50 percent of electricity in the state comes from clean renewable sources by the year 2030.”
Passage of the law will now allow a proposal for a ground-mounted solar array on about an acre of land at Oakwood Cemetery to move forward before the Planning Board for review in hopes of obtaining a special use permit. The Oakwood proposal was the impetus behind the legislation that regulates where solar panels may be installed in the village. Its proposal calls for the cemetery to lease land that it doesn’t plan to use for several decades.
The project will provide the cemetery with revenue and allow residents to purchase solar power at reduced rates.
The law was debated by residents who were concerned that ground-mounted arrays could be placed in environmentally sensitive areas, including in the Conservation Development and Preservation districts. Some residents also said the cemetery would be an inappropriate location for the solar panels.
Picinich said village trustees approved a similar solar project on a capped landfill in March off of Columbus Avenue. Legislation was not needed for that project since it is on municipal property.
The legislation allows for installations smaller than 750 square feet on roofs as well as building-mounted systems and structure-mounted systems. Ground-mounted systems of more than 1,000 square feet and the installation of solar panels on open-air carports over parking lots will now be allowed but will require a Planning Board special use permit, Picinich said.
“This has been a long and thoughtful process,” Picinich said. “I believe incorporating feedback from the community, the (Conservation Advisory Council) and the Planning Board has made this legislation stronger. We have dedicated countless hours to crafting the text so that it would fit our village. This legislation helps to move our community forward as a leader in promoting solar power.”
Schleimer, who supported the solar panel project at the landfill and the portion of the legislation related to rooftop-mounted panels, said the rush to approve the measure was unnecessary.
“I do not understand the need for undue haste in approving projects of this size without further research,” Schleimer said.
Of concern to Schleimer was that the larger arrays of at least 1,000 square feet would be permitted in the Conservation Development and Preservation zones. She added the legislation should include a provision where the village’s Tree Preservation Board could be consulted for a solar project requiring the removal of trees of a certain size.
Village officials should meet representatives from Sustainable Westchester and other organizations to learn more about the issue, Schleimer said.
“The solar law is being written by systematically going through each zone without figuring out what the overall goal should be for the village, and solar farms should be discussed in the Comprehensive Plan and instead have been omitted,” Schleimer argued.
However, the remainder of the board disagreed. Deputy Mayor Jean Farber said the trustees put much effort into crafting the legislation.
“This did not come lightly,” she said.
Trustee Peter Grunthal said he has been seeking legislation to promote solar power for years.
Trustee Isi Albanese said the increased use of solar power would be positive for Mount Kisco and “great for the world.”
