Delhi board approves temporary moratorium on solar development after 3–2 votes

The Village of Delhi board voted to impose a temporary moratorium on the development and construction of solar energy systems, approving related measures by 3–2 votes after members debated the scope of the draft law.

The board first approved a resolution to file Local Law No. 2 of 2026 (Resolution 9 of 2026) by roll call; later the board debated the text of Local Law No. 2 itself. During discussion, members questioned whether the draft covered residential ground-mounted systems that are not attached to a building, and whether the draft included a grandfathering provision for existing systems. One member said they could not find a grandfather clause in the solar text even though it appeared in a related battery-storage moratorium; other members said they believed such protections were intended and could be clarified in follow-up zoning language.

Board members emphasized that the intent of the moratorium was primarily to address commercial-scale projects and not to prohibit homeowners from installing rooftop systems or small residential setups. Several speakers urged staff to draft clearer definitions distinguishing roof-mounted, building-integrated, and accessory ground-mounted residential systems, and to incorporate scale-based thresholds. The board indicated it plans to incorporate the moratorium into parallel zoning and comprehensive-plan updates so that long-term rules will replace the temporary measure.

The moratorium passed on a 3–2 vote. The transcript records a roll-call vote on the earlier filing resolution with Maya, Christina and Josh recorded as voting yes and Dan and Simon recorded as voting no; a later roll call on the Local Law similarly recorded three yeses and two nos. Members said the village can revoke the moratorium once zoning and planning work is complete.