Solar Array proposal taking some heat from area residents

The Town of Owego Zoning Board of Appeals resumed a public hearing Thursday evening on a special use permit to build a solar array on Montrose Turnpike in Owego. The public was permitted to ask questions and make comments via zoom on the proposed construction of the solar array. Two representatives from SunEast Valley Solar LLC were in attendance to answer questions.

Many of those who spoke were opposed to the construction for a variety of reasons, such as what they described as a potential eyesore caused by the proposed 168 acres of solar panels.

Michelle Ayers, who was a staunch opponent of the construction, voiced her concerns, stating, “Proposed panels are going to be as close as 67- and 73-feet from our property. This is unacceptable to us.” 

Mel Farmer, of SunEast, tried to assuage citizens’ concerns by showing a map of proposed vegetation that SunEast would install along the road and neighboring properties, to hide the solar panels, although many at the meeting did not believe the vegetation would be dense or tall enough to completely hide the panels. 

Mike Bekner of SunEast stated, “There’s been some visual concerns; we’ve added additional vegetation, we’ve responded to all the comments that have poured in from the previous meeting over the past two months, we’ve done the best we can to site this. I want to make it clear to the board that I can’t hide this.” 

Dwayne Blaze, of Mapleridge Ranch, chimed in, stating, “This solar array will impact us in a negative way,” and elaborated, “I sell Owego New York to many people outside the state of New York; when they come and experience this town they love it. They love seeing the beautiful scenic roadways that we have in Tioga County, and if this were to pass, as they drive up the hill this is all they will see for the last half mile to a mile before they enter our camp.”

A letter from proponents of the solar array, Joan and John Rowland, who own one of the properties in the area that SunEast is looking to build on, was read at the beginning of the meeting. 

The letter read; “My wife Joan and I have asked that you consider granting Sun Energy permission to build a solar farm on our property. We have farmed this parcel and paid taxes on these properties for 56 years. In the hopes of selling the farm for our retirement, we think that the solar farm on this property would do more for the community than any other use of the land, especially another housing development. Mother Nature changes with the seasons, and visual changes are sometimes necessary for the process.”

Owego Farmer Eli Walsh also voiced his support for the solar array by saying; “I think we need to keep this property on the tax rolls, we need to allow Mr. Rowland to sell an asset that he has. I understand there is opposition from some of the neighbors, but unfortunately no project goes through without someone being impacted or opposed to.”

Other citizens were concerned about potential glare from the panels, or a decrease in property value as a result of the construction. The representatives from SunEast claimed that the panels only reflect 2% of sunlight, which would cause no major glare, and that they did not believe that it would cause property values to go down.

The proposed SunEast solar array would generate 20 Megawatts of energy. This energy would be sent to the national energy grid, and would not be directed specifically to Owego residents. The lease agreement for the array is 25 years, with up to three five-year extensions, and SunEast said that they have a plan for recycling or sale of the panels at the end of the project.

The approval or disapproval of the special permit to build the array will be voted on by members of the board at the next meeting of the Town of Owego Zoning Board of Appeals on March 4.