Solar farm in Woodstock receives third extension from city, set to be installed at gateway of town

A solar farm in Woodstock set to be built at one of the town’s gateways received a third extension for its permit from the city last week, marking now more than four years since the project was originally proposed and approved.

The project, which was originally proposed in 2018 to go at the intersection of Route 14 and Lily Pond Road, is slated to be a two megawatt private solar farm that is a little more than seven acres in size, city material states. A special use permit allowing the project to be built was approved four years ago, and has now been extended three times.

The Woodstock City Council opted at its last meeting to approve another extension for its special use permit in a 4-1 vote, but with it, specifically required the developer to abide by current city requirements as well as those currently being contemplated.

The lone vote against the extension was council member Tom Nierman, who said he didn’t like the location. Council members Darrin Flynn and Bob Seegers were not in attendance.

The city has been mulling changes to its city code that would up the standards for landscaping and monitoring of the site. Those changes are set to go in front of the Plan Commission later this month, with a final vote from the City Council potentially coming in November, city material states.

“My biggest issue is landscaping and maintenance of the site and the expectations that we have,” Mayor Mike Turner said. “It needs to be well maintained. It needs to look good. That’s the expectation.”

The permit for the project was originally granted for two years in September 2018, with city staff signing off on a one-year extension in 2020, city material states. The City Council then gave another one last year and have now granted a second.

Those with the project, New Leaf Energy out of Massachusetts, formally with California-based Borrego Solar Systems Inc., have said the delays have been due to the limitations of state legislation, city material states.

City Building and Zoning Director Joe Napolitano added Monday that a number of projects like this have been looking for funding from the state, but the funding hasn’t been made available to cover all of them. But with recent legislation, including the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act passed last year, there’s thought to be money coming, Napolitano said. The city is not contributing any money to the project.

The extension was considered by the City Council in September but the vote was pushed back due to concerns about the landscaping, the location and the process for taking down the solar farm, also called decommissioning.

The location of the solar farm in particular has caused some officials both now and in the past to suggest there may be a better use – one that would generate more tax revenue – for the area.

Turner said he was skeptical of another development being set up there in the near future and he’s optimistic about the solar farm’s chances for success.

“I believe this ultimately on a U.S. highway should have activity that produces significant property tax and sales tax income, or something along those lines,” Turner said.

To address landscaping concerns, New Leaf Director of Development Ryan Bailey showed council members examples of trees and shrubbery that could fence in the site to help with obscuring the site. He also laid out a timeline for establishing a meadow in the area, and the work that goes into keeping weeds and invasive species in check.

“[The trees] do a really good job of hiding it,” Bailey said. “You’ll know [the solar system] is back there. You’ll see it, but it’ll really break up that visual as you drive into town.”

Another worry city officials raised was about decommissioning the solar panels and the process for taking the site down once its lifespan ends. Bailey laid out the plan, calling it “comprehensive.”

“Solar panels [are simple],” Bailey said. “It’s a glass sheet on top and an aluminum frame. It takes a few minutes to rip apart.”

In 20 years, the solar farm’s decommissioning is projected cost about $162,500, which includes inflation, according to New Leaf’s presentation. Some concerns were brought up about the city possibly being on the hook for that due to how city code is written. The city may also consider later this month requiring that money be made available once a building permit is issued, Napolitano said.

Council member Lisa Lohmeyer said she was supportive of the project after several questions from last meeting were answered.

“The questions that were brought up [at our last meeting] by a couple of our council members were valid and I don’t think we were super clear on the answer,” she said. “I feel very comfortable with where we’re at now.”

Resident Kate Halma, the lone resident to speak on the item, said she was happy the council was considering the project.

“I don’t think it would be an eye sore considering other options that could be on that major U.S. highway,” she said. “If it develops as I’m seeing as presented here, I think Woodstock would be considered in a positive way.”