Fredonia reviews draft local law setting rules for solar equipment placement and decommissioning

The Village of Fredonia Board of Trustees held a public hearing at Fredonia Village Hall on Jan. 21, 2025, to consider Local Law No. 2 of 2025, a proposed local law regulating installation and placement of solar equipment and systems in the village. A village official read the draft ordinance aloud during the hearing.

The draft establishes definitions and separate regulatory tracks for small-scale (tier 1) and large-scale (tier 2) solar energy systems. The draft defines small-scale systems as installations producing energy for on-site consumption with a capacity of less than 25 kilowatts and large-scale (tier 2) systems as those with capacity greater than 25 kilowatts or intended primarily for off-site sale or wholesale generation.

Under the draft, small-scale roof-mounted systems would be permitted as accessory uses in all zoning districts when attached to a lawfully permitted principal or accessory structure; they would require a building permit and must meet code…