OBSERVER Photo by Sara Holthouse The town of Clymer held a second public hearing regarding a large-scale planned solar project before their regularly scheduled monthyl meeting.

CLYMER — Neighbors surrounding the property for one of Clymer’s planned solar projects are expressing concerns.

The Clymer Town Board held its second public hearing regarding the planned solar project to be placed on Upper Road. Deputy Supervisor Todd Kolstee said since the last public hearing, the board has been notified of additional concerns from neighboring properties, specifically on TenHaken Road.

“As of the last couple of weeks we have been notified of some additional concerns from residents, maybe not along Upper Road, but adjacent properties,” Kolstee said.

Two neighboring property owners have approached Town Board members. One was not able to attend the public hearing, so the board agreed to hold one more public hearing on the matter during their September meeting. The other concerned neighbor, Greg Poland, was in attendance and reiterated his main concerns for the board.

Poland’s concerns included a lack of notice regarding public hearings and that the solar application itself is not available to the public, so he did not know how large the project was meant to be or how far toward his property it would go.

His other concerns were that Clymer’s solar law is “very lenient” toward big projects and the consideration that RIC Energy has asked for in regard to setback variances.

“Importantly, once an applicant — such as the applicant here — seeks a variance from this requirement, approval is no longer administerial or a foregone conclusion as it would be in my estimation if they were just making an application and they met all of the criteria of the special use permit,” Poland said. “I urge you, from the bottom of my heart, to give this point careful consideration.”

Poland said the way that the board chooses to act on the consideration will affect all future setback variance considerations. He added that he thought there was “little doubt” that the project would negatively impact his property as well as others, and create an undesirable change in the character of the neighborhood — aspects that are mentioned to be taken into consideration in the local solar law.

Town Board members mentioned that the first public hearing had a presentation discussing the size and setback variances for the project and that public hearing notices have been printed, but promised to send Poland the full information on the solar project in the next week.

The board also discussed needing an update on the address for the second solar project under consideration. The person needed to update the address was not in the office until the day of the meeting, so the board tabled that for the September meeting.

The board received bids for a project that will update sidewalks on Clymer-Sherman Road and Mohawk Street.

The project is to be split into two segments and all together come to 2,585 feet. A decision was made to table the discussion until the next meeting.

The new town park pavilion and park benches have been constructed and placed.

The board plans on recognizing Caleb Costner, the Eagle Scout who put the benches in the park as a part of his project to earn his badge.