Neighbors object to proposed 88 kW Southlands solar array; ZBA keeps public hearing open

Craig Hightower, president and project developer for New Energy Project Management, told the Town of Rhinebeck Zoning Board of Appeals on July 16 that his company seeks four variances to construct an 88‑kilowatt, ground‑mounted solar array at 102 South Williams Drive (Dubnest property).

Hightower said the chosen corner of the field is a "low point" in the parcel, offers natural screening to the south and east and provides a practical interconnection point on a customer‑owned pole before the service goes underground. "We have low topography, easier to screen, less visible for everyone around, and then a viable interconnection point," he said.

Jake Leach, president of the Southlands Foundation, whose equine programs and trails adjoin the site, said the planned array would be visible from the foundation’s gazebo and main field and that the property’s scenic character is a core organizational asset. "Our big field is more…this is where the solar array is planned for," Leach said. "I think the idea of choosing a feasible alternative is hard to believe, because this field is huge. They want to put it right here." He asked the board to require on‑site demonstrations of height and visibility, such as balloons marking panel top elevation.

Magnus Michal, property manager for the applicant (Duxnetz), said project leaders have met repeatedly with Southlands and pledged additional plantings; he said the project is intended to produce renewable energy while limiting visual impact. "We listened really deeply and we're very concerned…we will make [additional planting] happen," Michal said.

Board members and the public focused most of their questions on visibility, screening and interconnection feasibility. Hightower described a previous design change to lower tilt and height and said the maximum panel elevation would be about 9.6 feet. He also described electrical constraints: the parcel is served by single‑phase service and the applicant said locating the array farther from the meter would increase voltage drop and require costly engineering or oversizing.

After public comment from Southlands Foundation leaders, trustees and neighbors — and repeated requests for more visuals — the ZBA agreed to keep the public hearing open, ask the applicant for additional renderings and balloon height tests, and schedule an on‑site inspection. The board and applicant agreed to arrange a joint visit with the planning board on Saturday, Aug. 16, and to provide photography, scale renderings and a final racking layout before that inspection.

The planning board had already signaled questions about alternate locations and visual impacts in a referral letter; the ZBA clerk confirmed the application will remain open while planning completes its review. The ZBA emphasized that the public hearing will remain open until those materials and the joint site inspection are completed and reviewed.

What’s next: the applicant will submit clearer site renderings and balloon‑height demonstrations for the array’s top elevation, provide a full parcel survey, and coordinate a Saturday morning site visit (Aug. 16) with the ZBA and planning board. The ZBA left the hearing open to receive those materials and public comment before making any decision.