The Town of Owego Zoning Board of Appeals met last Thursday to further discuss proposed solar array construction on Montrose Turnpike. The vote on whether or not to grant the special use permit to SunEast solar for construction was tabled until the next ZBA meeting on April 1.
Residents of Montrose Turnpike and Owego debated the solar array construction over Zoom. Opponents of the construction cited concerns over issues such as a potential decrease in property values near the solar array, the “eyesore” that would be created by the solar array, and added danger along the road during construction.
Proponents of the construction cited a desire to keep the property where the array would be built on the tax rolls, and some advocated for the need for more renewable energy across the country.
The meeting began with a letter written by State Senator Fred Akshar, and signed by over a dozen Owego residents that oppose the construction.
Akshar zoomed in and spoke at the meeting, and said to the board, “As leaders in the community, specifically elected leaders, it is incumbent on you to always listen to your constituency; from my perspective it is abundantly clear that the people that will be directly impacted by this project have expressed their serious concerns.”
Senator Fred Akshar, top left, joined in on last Thursday evening’s meeting to discuss the proposed solar array on Montrose Turnpike. (Screenshot by Wendy Post)
He voiced strong opposition to granting the permit, and stated, “While I think renewable energy has a place in our respective communities, it is not here.”
Scott Pauly, who lives on Montrose Turnpike, stated his misgivings about the proposed solar array by saying that he had conversations with property value appraisers who he claimed said that the construction would negatively affect his property value. He also brought up potential added danger on the road by saying, “Anyone that lives on Montrose Turnpike, or for that matter drives on Montrose Turnpike, or lives in the town of Owego, knows that this road has a tragic history. There have been countless serious personal injury accidents over the years and numerous fatal accidents. Any increase in traffic, especially commercial traffic associated with a project of this magnitude, is a recipe for disaster.”
Joan Davis, a proponent of the construction, stated, “I think everyone is directly impacted by what happens to us with energy. I think that climate is a huge problem that we have right now, and I do think we need to have renewable energy, and it obviously needs to be in rural areas.”
She compared the construction to a cell phone tower near her house, saying, “I could look at that cell phone tower, and could say ‘that is so ugly, that’s in my line of view,’ and it is, but I also think about how many people now have connectivity that didn’t have it before without that cell phone tower there, and I can simply move my eyes and say ‘Okay, I’m gonna look at this as an overall benefit to our whole community.’”
The Zoning Board of Appeals will meet again over Zoom on April 1 for further actions involving the special use permit for the solar array.
Tioga county has many large sites for solar panel fields that are not in residential areas. Sites similar to the land Best Buy was built on. Solar and wind are great alternative energy sources, they just have to better target their location sites better.