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Planning board approves 34 Sturgis solar array after neighbor visibility concerns
Summary
The board approved a 19‑panel, roughly 8 kW solar installation on the rear roof of a home at 34 Sturgis, after extensive discussion of roof coverage, design review comments and neighbor letters raising visibility and potential glare issues. The board noted the application complies with the village solar code and asked the applicant to pursue plantings to reduce visibility over time.
John Colangelo, owner of 34 Sturgis, sought approval for a roof‑mounted solar system on the rear of his house. A representative described the system as 19 panels totaling about 8 kilowatts (each panel ~420 DC watts), placed on rear roof slopes to maximize winter performance. “So we have, 19 solar panels going on the back roof of, the Colangelo home,” the presenter said.
Board members reviewed design‑review comments that questioned the panels’ distribution across several roof planes and noted the system covers about 17% of total roof area, slightly under a commonly referenced 20% planning threshold. Neighbors submitted letters and photos asserting the array would be visible from back yards and second‑floor windows and raised concerns about potential glare. The applicant said many surrounding trees are evergreens and that additional plantings already in place will grow over time to reduce visibility.
During deliberations members balanced the trustees’ stated intention to encourage residential solar against neighborhood concerns about optics and glare. Several members said the application complied with the existing code language encouraging solar installations, including a provision to minimize visibility to the greatest extent practicable; others noted that if glare proves a real problem the trustees could amend the code later. A motion to approve the plans as presented passed on an oral vote.
The board asked the applicant to continue mitigation efforts (plantings) and suggested the applicant and neighbors monitor any glare or visibility impacts once the system is operational.
