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Albany County Legislature approves multiple property and tax measures, OKs solar PILOT
Summary
At a session of the Albany County Legislature, members approved a series of resolutions including property transfers to a housing nonprofit, a corrected tax bill for a veterans organization, a 15-year PILOT for a 5 MW solar array, release of a deed reverter, and a declaration that county-owned E911 tower taxes are unenforceable.
The Albany County Legislature approved multiple routine property and tax resolutions at a recent session, including transfers to a housing developer, a corrected tax bill for a veterans organization, a pilot agreement for a 5-megawatt solar array and a declaration that taxes on a county-owned E911 tower are unenforceable.
The approvals affect several parcels and programs across the county and include a 15-year payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) for a solar project, the release of a deed reverter clause for a residential parcel and a request to issue a corrected zero-dollar tax bill for a veterans organization.
Chris Conway, representing the County Executive's Office, summarized several items. He said the correction request concerns 35 North Street and asked the Legislature to issue a corrected bill of $0 for the parcel because "the property is owned and operated by the Ninth Ward Memorial and Service League Incorporated, a subsidiary of the North Albany American Legion post 16 10. North Albany American Legion post 16 10 is eligible for a full exemption pursuant to New York State real property tax law 4 52." Conway identified the authority cited in the request as New York State Real Property Tax Law "4 52" as stated in the meeting record.
Conway also described a PILOT request with Albany Road Solar LLC for a 5-megawatt array in the Town of Bethlehem. He told the Legislature that "Albany County will receive $700 per megawatt per year with an annual 2% escalator. First payment of $3,500 is anticipated in 2027. The pilot has a 15 year term." The resolution asks the county to enter the pilot agreement under the authority described in the meeting materials as New York State Real Property Tax Law "4 87." The agreement as presented sets the county payment at $700 per megawatt annually with the stated 2% escalation.
Other approved items included: a request to transfer an empty lot at 311 Orange Street to the Albany Housing Coalition for further affordable housing development; two small, landlocked parcels at 211 and 213 Seminole Avenue proposed for transfer to abutting owners (the presenter said similar transfers in the past were completed for nominal consideration, noting prior transfers for $1 and that the Albany Housing Coalition offered "$100" for the Orange Street parcel); a resolution to release a right of reverter recorded in 1982 for 33 Myrtle Avenue after meeting the deed conditions; and a request that the Legislature declare delinquent taxes for 231 Edwards Hill Road (the county-owned E911 tower in the town of Rensselaerville) unenforceable and authorize chargebacks to levying bodies for a total amount of $40,770.69.
Where the meeting record did not provide named movers, seconds or roll-call vote tallies tied to individual members in the transcript excerpts, the resolutions were presented and approved by voice or recorded consent at the session. The meeting materials submitted with the items listed the legal authorities cited above; the transcript referenced New York State Real Property Tax Law sections "4 52," "4 87" and "4 06" in presentations.
Votes at a glance (items presented in the discussion): - Transfer/sale of 311 Orange Street to Albany Housing Coalition (offer described in materials as $100) — motion presented and approved in session (mover/second not specified in transcript excerpt). - Transfers of 211 and 213 Seminole Avenue to abutting owners (presenter said the county has transferred similar landlocked lots previously for $1) — motion presented and approved (mover/second not specified in transcript excerpt). - Corrected tax bill for 35 North Street to $0 because of an exemption claim by Ninth Ward Memorial and Service League Incorporated/North Albany American Legion post 16 10 under "New York State real property tax law 4 52" — motion presented and approved (mover/second not specified in transcript excerpt). - PILOT: enter agreement with Albany Road Solar LLC for a 5 MW array in the Town of Bethlehem; county to receive $700 per MW per year with a 2% annual escalator; first payment projected in 2027; 15-year term — motion presented and approved (mover/second not specified in transcript excerpt). - Release of right of reverter recorded in 1982 for 33 Myrtle Avenue after conditions satisfied — motion presented and approved (mover/second not specified in transcript excerpt). - Declare delinquent taxes for 231 Edwards Hill Road (county-owned E911 tower) unenforceable and authorize chargeback to levying bodies; total chargeback requested: $40,770.69 — motion presented and approved (mover/second not specified in transcript excerpt).
The session record attached to the items lists the statutes cited where presenters referenced state law. The presenters noted that some transfers follow precedents for nominal consideration when parcels are landlocked, and the PILOT sets a specific, per-megawatt payment structure rather than a percentage of production.
The committee advanced the resolutions; additional procedural steps or final signatures required to complete transfers, corrected tax bills and the PILOT were not specified in the transcript excerpt.
