With a somewhat laissez-faire approach, the town of Van Buren has opted to help make information about solar power options available to interested residents.
The town board voted Jan. 20 to authorize Supervisor Claude Sykes to send a letter expressing interest about the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Community Solar NY program, a solar energy initiative led by the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board (CNYRPDB) and the national Solar Roadmap Initiative.
One initiative funded by NYSERDA is Solarize CNY, which seeks to encourage area residents to install solar panels through group discounts, grants and tax incentives.
Solarize CNY volunteer and GreeningUSA board member Dana Johnston presented to the board on Solarize CNY’s 2015 initiative. Last year’s project, Solarize Syracuse, resulted in 77 solar panel installations in the city of Syracuse and the towns of Onondaga and DeWitt.
“It’s a very exciting opportunity to step into the forefront and bring your town to the 21st century in an affirmative way,” Johnston said.
She said solar power expands the capacity of the energy grid and makes it more resilient in the face of disasters, including Superstorm Sandy in 2012, which devastated much of the East Coast and the Caribbean.
Johnston said people who sign up through Solarize CNY can use solar power to provide their own homes and businesses with electricity and sell their unused power back to National Grid. There are federal tax credits and assessment exemptions available for those who install solar panels.
Johnston said one of the town’s responsibilities as a project leader for Solarize CNY would be to facilitate workshops and meetings for the initiative.
Sykes said the town could offer meeting space for Solarize CNY volunteers, but not much else.
“Basically, the town would take a hands-off approach because we don’t have the staff for it,” he said.
Sykes said the town would help recruit volunteers for Solarize CNY, but “beyond that, it’s all going to be [CNYRPDB’s] baby as far as we’re concerned.”
Sykes told Johnston that, while the town is open to helping spread the word, Van Buren will have to pass on pursuing any panel installation because of the concerns of Code Enforcement Officer Dave Pringle. According to Sykes, Pringle said Solarize CNY’s proposal did not allow a fire department review and the town’s building codes do not have any guidelines for solar panels.
While the town board voted to send a letter of interest in helping with Solarize CNY, the board struck a resolution from the agenda that would have allowed the town to apply for a New York state Unified Solar Permit. Sykes said Van Buren will revisit the issue when the town updates its code.
“If it can be modified, we’re going to adopt it, but right now we’re going to reserve our interest,” Sykes said.
Disc golf coming to Van Buren Park
The town board approved a request from the CNY Disc Golf Association to install an 18-hole disc golf course in Van Buren Park.
Sykes said this would be at no cost to the town. The first nine holes would be installed in May and the Disc Golf Association is raising money to install the back nine. There are similar courses in Green Lakes Park and Jamesville Beach Park.
The setup of disc golf is similar to that of traditional golf, but players aim specialized, Frisbee-like discs at targets with a chain basket.
“These baskets are removable, so there’s no interference with sledding in the winter,” Sykes said.
Sykes said disc golf would attract more people to Van Buren Park. The parks committee will make sure that the course is installed safely, with no baskets near the pond in the park or near road crossings.
