Credit: R. A. Hermans
Carson Power’s request for a fence around its proposed solar farm at Pulvers Corners higher than zoning allows was unanimously approved on Aug. 28 by the Pine Plains Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). Pine Plains’ zoning law limits fences in the town to seven feet, but the national standard requires fences surrounding solar-panel installations to be eight feet high. The Pulvers Corners fence will be eight feet.
ZBA chair Scott Chase indicated that this was not a significant variance to grant because of the minor height change and because the fence would be at least 500 feet from any public highway and would not be visible from any homes. The ZBA’s public hearing on the variance was on March 28, but the panel waited on approving the fence variance until the Pine Plains Planning Board decided that the project did not require an environmental impact statement, which it did at its meeting on Aug. 23.
The planning board will hold a public hearing on Carson Power’s site plan and request for a special use permit on Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall.