Solar projects keep coming in Manlius

TOWN OF MANLIUS – With the pending Manlius comprehensive plan and a glut of proposals for solar farms in the town, the Manlius Planning Board is looking for some coordination with the town board to determine next steps for solar projects.
In recent months, the planning board has approved five solar arrays, none of which have broken ground to date. At least four more have been proposed.
The conversation was spurred by an application for a large solar array situated on a property adjacent to Fayetteville-Manlius High School. The site, which is accessible by Duguid Road and also fronts a portion of Seneca Turnpike, encompasses more than 240 acres and would house three distinct solar installations that would combine to make up a 15-megawatt solar farm.
“I think we need to get a general idea of what the [town board] is thinking,” said planning board attorney Jamie Sutphen.
One issue is whether the project, proposed by CVE North America, Inc., should be considered a single solar farm or three separate solar installations. The town currently has a law that states solar farms should not be sited within one mile of one another unless it can be shown there is little community impact.
In the past two years, there has been a near constant flow of solar projects in the town. While the planning board has been supportive of these projects – approving five of them to date – there was concern that the rapid rate at which these projects are coming to pass will tie the hands of the group preparing the comprehensive plan.
“Otherwise the town plan would have to be built around all the things we’ve approved,” said planning board member Arnie Poltenson. “I’m especially careful about not sticking our foot in it when we don’t know as much as we should.”
The comprehensive plan is expected to take up to a year and a half to complete.
Planning Board Chairman Joe Lupia said he had reached out to the town board for guidance and the planning board and town board will schedule a work session to provide some clarity about future policies and procedures related to solar installations.
Discussion of the Duguid Road solar project will be delayed until at least June 14 to allow that work session to take place.
Immediately following the discussion of the CVE North America application, another application was presented for a 5-megawatt solar project on an 85-acre site at 8540 Salt Springs Road. Discussion of that project was also delayed until June 14.