By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
The Town of Olean Planning Board on Thursday discussed the site plan for the proposed 5 megawatt Dugan Road Solar project on Dugan Road.
The project by Delaware River Solar, was first proposed three years ago at 2110 Dugan Road in the town of Olean. The 42.9-acre site is on a hillside on property currently owned by Joseph and Patricia Bohan. It is brush and wooded land. Nearly 11,800 solar panels will be installed on post-driven racking. The panels will track the sun.
There will be a 250-foot setback from Dugan Road and 100-foot setback on the side and rear yards.
Some of the issues planning board members discussed included visual impact, potential glare and the need for a comprehensive landscape plan.
The planning board is under an Oct. 1 deadline to advance the solar project in return for Delaware River Solar dropping its lawsuit in state Supreme Court against the town for not moving quickly enough to approve the plan. Part of the agreement involves a $150,000 host fee to the town.
As part of the settlement, the company agreed to perform a wildlife survey and a noise study requested by the planning board, but wanted a 1,000-foot limit on the property owners that would be covered under a property protection plan.
Town engineer James Hannon raised a number of issues with the planning board from his initial review of the most recent documents submitted by Delaware Solar. He said he could not recommend the town board approve the plan in its present form.
The site will need to be surveyed. The current survey does not match the site plan, Hannon said. “They need to go through the whole thing (documents) and update it.” The documents are not sufficient and not organized. He also questioned whether it is consistent with the town’s comprehensive plan.
Regarding drainage, Hannon said the site has a slope of up to 20 degrees, where the type of erosion control proposed is “totally inadequate” and does not meet the town’s requirements for erosion control.
Attorney Gary Abraham, who was hired by the town to look after its interests in regard to the solar project, said the work may not all be done by Oct. 1, and the planning board may have to make a recommendation to the town board with conditions.
The developers avoided wetlands on the property, Hannon said. The company also needs to provide post-construction stormwater management plans.
The engineer noted that the project “does not appear to be harmonious” with the Dugan Road neighborhood. He suggested a “forever green” vegetative strip near the road to help screen the project.
One planning board member, Glenn Grosso, lives across Dugan Road from the proposed solar project.
The planning board is scheduled to meet on the next three Thursdays at 4 p.m. at the Olean Town Hall to continue discussions and receive Hannon’s engineering report.
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