Public Hearing on solar moratorium extension in Parishville scheduled for March 24, 2026.

PARISHVILLE

LOCAL LAW





Town of Parishville Local Law

Legal Notice




PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that there will be a Public Hearing on the adoption of Local Law 01-2026 for the Town of Parishville entitled “Six-Month Extension of Solar Moratorium”, on certain Types of BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems) and/or Solar Energy Uses in the Town of Parishville, St. Lawrence County, New York. This hearing will be held on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at 5 PM at the Parishville Town Hall located at 1772 State Highway 72, Parishville, New York.

By order of the Town Board of Parishville, NY.

Dated March 9, 2026

Jolene Rosenbarker

Parishville Town Clerk




TOWN OF PARISHVILLE

Local Law 01-2026

SIX-MONTH EXTENSION OF SOLAR MORATORIUM




1. PURPOSE AND INTENT

A. This Local Law shall be known as “Local Law Imposing a Six-Month Extension of Moratorium on certain Types of BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems) and/or Solar Energy Uses.”

B. The purpose of this Local Law is to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the Town of Parishville and to maintain the status quo as to certain BESS and/or solar energy uses, as the present regulations in the Town do not adequately address this type of use. The Moratorium will stop the processing of applications for and the issuance of any permits, certificates of occupancy, and approvals for certain land uses relating to BESS and/or solar energy, including, but not limited to, BESS and/or solar farms. The Moratorium is for an additional period of six (6) months, allowing the Town Board and Town Planning Board time to analyze and determine potential appropriate regulations concerning this use.

2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS

 1. The Town of Parishville Town Board does hereby find that without a temporary halt on the processing, permitting, and approval for certain BESS and/or solar land uses there is a potential that such uses could be located in unsuitable areas within the Town and/or on particular lots without adequate dimensional regulations in place. The potential for the unsuitable location of and lack of proper dimensional regulations for such uses would have materially adverse and irreversible impacts on the Town. The Town Board also finds that it is in need of additional time to perform the necessary analysis of the potential types of BESS and/or solar energy facilities that could be located in the Town. By maintaining the status quo regarding such uses, the Town Board can provide for the planned orderly growth and development of the Town.

3. MORATORIUM IMPOSED; APPLICABILITY

 1. For an additional period of time of six (6) months following the effective date of the adoption of this Local Law, no application may be processed and no permits, certificates of occupancy, approvals, denials, determinations, or interpretations may be issued or granted for any land uses relating to BESS and/or solar energy, including, but not limited to, BESS and/or solar farms.
 2. The term “land uses relating to BESS and/or solar energy” shall be broadly construed to include any facility designed to generate electric power to be marketed, sold, or used for other than the power demands of the improvements on the property on which such facility is located. Not included within the scope of this Moratorium are BESS and/or solar energy facilities designed to generate electric power solely for the use of the improvements located on the same property.
 3. The term “BESS and/or solar farm” shall mean “a collection of solar panels and/or Battery Energy Storage Systems covering one-quarter (1/4) acre or more of land that are designed to capture sunlight and transform it into electricity and/or energy storage.” This definition includes freestanding and ground pole-mounted photovoltaic and parabolic solar installations. This definition does not include photovoltaic panels that are mounted on or affixed to residential dwellings for their use or municipal buildings or existing panels mounted on commercial or industrial buildings.
 4. This Local Law shall be binding on the Town Board, Building Inspector, all Town officials and employees, and any applicant or real property owner in the Town desiring to apply for or receive a permit, certificate of occupancy, or approval in the Town of Parishville.
 5. During the period of the Moratorium, the Town Board and Town Planning Board shall endeavor to complete all reasonable and necessary review, study, analysis, and, if warranted, revisions to the Town of Parishville Laws. During the period of the Moratorium, no applications will be accepted nor permits, certificates of occupancy, or approvals issued which would authorize development within the Town for land uses relating to BESS and/or solar energy as described above.

4. TERM

 1. This Moratorium shall be in effect for a period of six (6) consecutive months from its effective date. This Local Law shall be subject to renewal for a cumulative period of up to an additional six (6) months, if necessary, by Resolution of the Town Board.

5. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS

 1. To the extent that any law, ordinance, rule or regulation, or parts thereof, are in conflict with the provisions of this Local Law, including all provisions of Article 16 of the New York State Town Law concerning special use permit, site plan, building permit, and certificate of occupancy procedure and requirements, this Local Law shall control and supersede such law, ordinance, rule or regulation.

6. WAIVER

 1. Owing to the limited scope and duration of this Moratorium, there is no provision being made in this Local Law for any waivers to its applicability. However, the Town Board may, but is not obligated to, promulgate regulations by a Resolution of the Board authorizing a hardship waiver process to this Moratorium.

7. SEVERABILITY

 1. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part of this Local Law shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall be confined in its operation to the clause, paragraph, section, or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

8. EFFECTIVE DATE

This Local Law shall take effect immediately upon its filing with the Town Clerk of Parishville and upon filing the same with the Secretary of the State of New York in accordance with New York Municipal Home Rule and will remain in effect through August 31, 2026.