Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Committee Votes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
At-a-glance: Ulster County committee advances SEQRA change for rail-trail, approves two solar PILOT agreements
Summary
The committee adopted a SEQRA reclassification for the Ulster-Delaware Corridor Rail Trail (Type I action) requiring recirculation of an environmental review, and approved payment-in-lieu-of-tax agreements for two solar projects under Real Property Tax Law —7487; several other resolutions were postponed for further review.
At its June 3 meeting the committee adopted three notable actions and postponed several others.
SEQRA reclassification (Resolution 274): The committee reclassified the Ulster-Delaware Corridor Rail Trail project as a Type I action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act because part of the corridor is eligible for the National Register; the change requires recirculation of an updated environmental assessment form. Several legislators voiced concern that the Type I designation increases review complexity and potential costs, but supporters said the change will improve design and historic-resource treatment. The resolution passed.
Solar PILOT agreements (Resolutions 276 and 277): The committee authorized the chair to execute payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreements with Bailey's Gap Solar LLC and Highland 2011 Solar LLC under Real Property Tax Law —7487. Deputy executive staff described these as anticipated-revenue agreements (a reverse-style pilot) that follow standard formulas; both resolutions passed.
Postponed items: The committee postponed a proposed service agreement with the resource recovery agency, a local law on thermoform plastics (see separate coverage), and a resolution opposing siting a countywide landfill pending redrafting and additional agency input.
Votes at a glance: the rail-trail SEQRA reclassification and both solar PILOT resolutions were adopted by the committee; multiple other resolutions were postponed for further review.
