Summit Street solar project offers to pay yearly

Benjamin Joe |, Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, N.Y.
·2 min read

Nov. 10—The Summit Street solar project developers, OYA Ruhlmann A LLC, have offered to pay $12,301 per year, plus a yearly 2% increase, in taxes. The resolution was handed to the Common Council at Wednesday's meeting to either approve or reject the terms of the payment.

However, when faced with the resolution, two alderman decided to use their vote to refuse the Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT), despite the tax-exempt status of the project.

Without the PILOT agreement, the developer could pay zero in taxes, Mayor Michelle Roman said.

Common Council President Paul Beakman, as well as 3rd Ward Alderman Mark Devine, dissented in the 4-2 vote by the Common Council. Devine has a long history of opposing the project. He told "everyone in TV land" that he was against the project and had been since its inception in 2020, and for that reason he was continuing to vote against it.

Beakman also saw implications to how he voted.

"I made a symbolic vote to let people know where I stand," Beakman said in a brief conversation after the meeting had ended.

Devine was a part of another 4-2 split with former 1st Ward Alderman Joe Oates in Oct. 2020 that allowed the company to continue its plans to install the 24,000-solar panels on the south side of Summit Street.

Two years later, a project date for construction on the site has not been announced, but Roman said the company was willing to pay the PILOT.

"They want to help the community," Roman said after the meeting.

Other members of the council were also unhappy with the project, but saw that nothing could be done this time with the solar issue whether they were for or against the it.

"It doesn't mean we're for the project itself, it means we're for the tax-money we can get from it," 5th Ward Alderwoman Kristin Barnard said. "They're going to be giving us more than what we'd be able to tax them."

City Assessor Tracey Farrell noted that while in the future, the council could refuse to allow solar exemptions, this project had already gotten through.

Beakman was frank in his reaction.

"I'm really fearful of the city being stuck with a hazardous waste site," Beakman said.

Beakman was quickly told that the contract with the company addressed that very issue, but by the end of the meeting his concerns still had not been met.

"What if the company leaves and we're stuck with the mess?" he asked after adjourning for the night.