TOWN OF NORTH HARMONY
PLANNING BOARD
TUESDAY, 2/11/2020, 7:00 PM
MEMBERS PRESENT: DICK JOHNSON WALTER GEIST
JOHN WARNER PAT RICE
PHIL STRAND GARY WINGER
Brad Lawson, Zoning C.E.O.
OTHERS PRESENT: Dick Sena, Stephanie Gibbs, Helen Emick, Jim Goodling, Dale Robbins, Kelly Johnson
- PAT RICE OPENED THE MEETING AT 7:00 PM.
- DICK SENA, TOWN COUNCIL GAVE TOWN REPORT. (See 2/10/2020 Town Board Minutes)
- LAWSON, ZONING C.E.O. GAVE ZONING REPORT.
- SOLAR ENERGY AND 5G TELECOMMUNICATIONS
- Rice said he would like to amend the Zoning Ordinance for Solar. He said he would like to see setback requirements, structure requirements, where the soil would be stored and the size requirements.
- Rice said he would like to make the set back 500ft instead of 50ft.
- Warner asked if we could include a maximum size?
- Sena said he didn’t think we could limit the size.
- Rice asked what we can do in terms of bonding?
- Robbins said he would find out.
- Warner asked if we could limit a solar farm to 25 megs in our town?
- Sena said if the state is involved, he does not think you can limit the size.
- Johnson asked if there was a model law that we could go off?
- Sena said southern tier west was working on putting something out.
- Rice said he would contact southern tier to see is he can get a model law.
- Robinson asked if we could regulate run off?
- Lawson said yes.
- There was brief discussion about taxes on the solar farms and batterie storage.
- TINY HOMES
- Lawson said the AG, or the AR district would be an appropriate place to allow them. He said NY state will be coming out with something, but it has not happened yet. Mr. Lawson said right now if somebody was interested in building a small home on a foundation, they would have to come to the zoning board.
- Sena said we are going to have to address this because there is interest in it.
- Rice said he would like to see a group of tiny homes like in a community.
- Lawson said he is not sure how the health department would handle putting a group of homes on a single septic.
- Strand said he would like tiny homes to have to get special permits regardless of the district so we can have some restrictions.
- Strand said he was concerned with people building these homes and not being able to resell them. He said he is concerned what that might do to the neighborhoods.
Mr. Goodling introduced himself to the board and gave his background in planning. Mr. Rice said he was impressed and said the board could really use Mr. Goodlings experience and we would be more than delighted to have him join the Planning Board.
Mr. Rice asked how the rental law was progressing. Mr. Lawson said nothing is happening on that law yet. He said we are waiting for better weather and when the summer people are here to attend the public hearing.
Next regular meeting scheduled for March 10, 2020 at 7:00 P.M.
- MOTION
ON A MOTION MADE BY MR. GEIST, SECONDED BY MR. WARNER AND NONE BEING APPOSED, THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 8:35 PM
Stephanie Gibbs
Deputy Town Clerk
