For the fourth consecutive month, the Ancram Planning Board extended the public hearing on a proposed solar array off Route 82. The decision, made at the board’s July 10 meeting, followed ongoing questions from neighbors and a lack of new input from the town’s planning consultant, who was absent from the meeting.
RIC Energy is seeking approval to construct a solar installation on farmland owned by Jim Miller. Ancram planning consultant Nan Stolzenberg had not yet submitted her feedback on the application and did not attend the meeting. Planning Board Chair Joe Rocco said Stolzenberg’s input would be shared with RIC and that she would be asked to attend the next board meeting on Aug. 7.
Lawrence Goldberg, whose property borders the project site, reiterated his concerns about visual screening and potential noise impacts. “Lastly, I don’t see any give-backs to the town of Ancram,” he said.
RIC Energy has submitted a noise analysis, which concluded that the array’s operational sound would be comparable to the hum of a refrigerator. Construction noise would be limited to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, in compliance with building codes. The company estimates construction will take five to six months. Rocco noted that the land’s current agricultural use is not subject to any such restrictions and could generate noise at any hour.
Jeffrey Baker, whose Poole Hill Road property and Hillrock Distillery could have views of the array, submitted a letter describing the proposal as an “industrial development…in stark contrast to the surrounding rolling farmland.” He urged the board to consider the permanent impact on the rural landscape and raised questions about screening, glare, decommissioning costs, and the potential for a tax abatement.
RIC spokesperson Ciara Hopkins responded that the solar panels would be treated to reduce glare—less than typical household glass—and would rotate with the sun. She said the company was confident in its ability to complete the project “with or without federal funding,” and noted that the town would hold a decommissioning bond, with the potential to negotiate an increase. Rocco added that the town could consider requiring further screening once the project is operational. A resident suggested hiring a visual assessment consultant.
Derek Porter of Roche Drive repeated his suggestion from June that RIC host a community meeting with neighbors to gather input. Hopkins did not rule out the idea but pointed out that RIC’s plans had been on file since December 2024, with public hearings held in April, May, June, and July. “We feel this project is fully compliant with Ancram’s zoning and other regulations,” she said. “We can absolutely continue to discuss the plans as they are, but we do not anticipate changing the application.”
The public hearing will remain open and continue at the board’s Aug. 7 meeting.
In other business, The board unanimously approved a site plan for a single-family home on the Empire Road property of the Bronx House Emanuel Camp, determining that it does not affect any wetland buffers. In a separate application, camp director Adam Weinstein proposed constructing a 975-square-foot, three-unit building to house summer staff.
“This would significantly upgrade counselor housing, and enable us to attract adult teachers, not just more junior staff,” Weinstein said. The board will determine by the August meeting whether the project qualifies as a multi-family dwelling or temporary seasonal housing.
Landscape architect Doug Jones appeared on behalf of Lily Zhou and Daniel Loevinsohn, the new owners of a 120-acre property at 100 DeWitt Lane. The couple hopes to remove one of three existing homes on the site and its accessory structures, and to restore the remaining two. They also plan to regrade and reroute the existing 1,700-foot driveway, which Jones described as “more of a logging road in places.”
Preliminary plans show some grades as steep as 11.5%, exceeding the 10% slope limit set by town code. Jones said reducing the grade further would require encroachment on wetlands and the removal of mature trees. While the board acknowledged the new design would significantly improve safety, any grade above 10% would require a waiver from the local or state fire commissioner.