Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solar Pilots topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Selectmen approve PILOT with Cardinal Landfill Solar for estimated 3‑MW project
Summary
The Farmington Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 May 4 to enter a Payment In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT) agreement with Cardinal Landfill Solar LLC for an estimated 3‑megawatt project on former landfill parcels. The agreement sets a payment of $3,500 per megawatt annually and has a 25‑year term with potential extensions.
The Town of Farmington Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 on May 4 to enter a Payment In Lieu Of Taxes agreement with Cardinal Landfill Solar LLC for property identified as Tax Map R19, Lots 12 and 12‑1.
Chairman Charlie King opened the public hearing and said the board had discussed the proposal at a prior meeting. Town Administrator Jason Henry summarized the financial term: the agreement sets an annual payment of $3,500 per megawatt. Based on an estimated 3‑MW installation, King said the town expects about $10,500 in annual PILOT revenue to go into general taxation with no direct impact to town infrastructure.
The agreement term as read into the record is 25 years with automatic extensions for two additional successive periods of up to five years each, contingent on mirroring any lease extensions, which could extend the effective term to 35 years. King said the proposed project uses otherwise unusable landfill acreage, and the payment mirrors the structure of prior local solar PILOT agreements.
No substantive public objections were recorded during the hearing. After discussion the board moved to close the hearing and to authorize the PILOT agreement; motion (King, second Titus) to enter the PILOT agreement passed 4-0. Chairman King signed the contract during the meeting and it was circulated for board signatures.
The board did not vote on site permits or construction approvals at this meeting; those matters remain subject to applicable permitting processes. The PILOT motion and contract terms were recorded in the meeting minutes and will be filed with town records.
