Solar energy system proposed in Shawangunk

By Connor Linskey
Posted 2/24/21

Magruder Solar, LLC will present a new application for a proposed large scale solar energy system at the Town of Shawangunk Planning Board meeting on Thursday, March 2.

The project would be located …

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Solar energy system proposed in Shawangunk

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Magruder Solar, LLC will present a new application for a proposed large scale solar energy system at the Town of Shawangunk Planning Board meeting on Thursday, March 2.

The project would be located at 643 Plains Road on approximately 203 acres of land.

Town of Shawangunk Planning Board Chair Mark Watkins confirmed that Magruder Solar presented the board with a much larger solar energy system several years ago, however it failed to move forward. The applicant only discussed their project at two meetings.

This time around, Magruder Solar has changed its whole application. They are now proposing a five-megawatt system, which is a vast decrease from their previous application of approximately 24 megawatts.

The preliminary site plan boasts a fence surrounding the solar panels. An access road is proposed to connect the solar system to Plains Road. When looking at the preliminary site plan, the land directly to the left of the fence belongs to Garrison Armavida, LLC. Homes are located directly to the south and east of the project. The land to the immediate left belongs to the City of New York Bureau of Water Supply. Beyond the land owned by the bureau of water supply, is land possessed by Brennen Farms.

Watkins noted that more information on the project will be provided at the meeting on March 2.

“It hasn’t even been in front of the board yet,” he said. “The questions haven’t been brought up. It hasn’t been discussed by anybody… Even though you’re looking at a map and even though we walked the site, until we have that discussion in front of the board, we don’t really know exactly everything that’s there.”

The meeting on March 2 also features both a public hearing and a continued public hearing. The public hearing is regarding Robert Cancellieri’s application for a two-lot subdivision with a lot line change located at 1314 Route 208/Birch Road.The continued public hearing is for Mako Homes who is proposing an 8-lot cluster subdivision of a parcel on Malloy and Albany Post Roads that is approximately 32 acres.

The applications and plans for the Cancellieri and Mako Homes applications will be available at the planning board office at Shawangunk Town Hall, 14 Central Avenue, Wallkill. They will be accessible during working hours, Monday through Friday from noon to 4:00 p.m. ten days prior to the public hearings.

Any interested person is able to speak during the public hearing, however the planning board reserves the right to limit presentations to a maximum of five minutes per person. In addition, people can submit a written statement in lieu of or in addition to their in person remarks. Such statements can be emailed to planning@shawangunk.org.

Those interested can also review plans for projects by looking at the town’s website at www.shawangunk.org under legal notices.