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Fredonia trustees schedule public hearings on solar tax opt-out and solar installation rules
Summary
The Village of Fredonia Board of Trustees voted to schedule public hearings on two proposed local laws: one to opt out of the state real property tax exemption for certain renewable energy systems and a separate local law regulating installation and placement of solar equipment in the village.
The Village of Fredonia Board of Trustees on Jan. 6 voted to schedule public hearings on two related measures: proposed Local Law No. 1 of 2025, which would opt the village out of the state property-tax exemption for certain solar, wind and farm-waste energy systems, and proposed Local Law No. 2 of 2025, a local law that would regulate the installation and placement of solar equipment and systems in the village.
The hearings were set by resolution during the board meeting. The notice for Local Law No. 1 schedules a public hearing in January 2025 at 5 p.m.; the notice for Local Law No. 2 schedules a public hearing in January 2025 at 5:30 p.m. Both resolutions direct the village clerk to publish the hearing notices pursuant to Village Law. The resolution text for the opt-out states the law would take effect immediately upon filing with the New York State Secretary of State.
The opt-out resolution cites the opt-out provision in New York's Real Property Tax Law (RPTL) section 487, which allows municipalities to adopt a local law to decline the state exemption for certain solar, wind and farm-waste energy systems. The board's action schedules a public process in which residents can comment before any final action.
Board members moved the measures into the public-hearing stage with unanimous roll-call votes by the trustees in attendance. The board did not read the full text of either proposed law aloud at the meeting; members noted the documents are available in the meeting agenda and minutes for public review prior to the hearings.
Why it matters: an opt-out of RPTL a7a0487 would prevent qualifying solar, wind or farm-waste energy systems from receiving the state property-tax exemption inside the village, which can affect tax bills for property owners who install those systems and the economics for solar projects proposed within village limits. The separate local law on installation would set local rules for how and where solar equipment may be placed if the village proceeds to regulate installations.
Next steps: both proposed local laws will be the subject of public hearings in January; the board has directed the village clerk to publish notices and make the full texts available for public review. Following the hearings the trustees may vote to adopt, amend or reject each local law.
Meeting record evidence: The proposals were introduced in the board's workshop and were read into the record as resolutions at the Jan. 6 meeting. The board's resolution language states the opt-out is "express intention of the board of trustees of Fredonia in adopting this local law to exercise the opt out provision afforded to local municipalities by section 487," and that the opt-out would be effective upon filing with the Secretary of State.
