WALLKILL VALLEY
TIMES
Vol . 35 , No 10 3 WEDNESDAY , MARCH 8 , 2017 3 ONE DOLLAR
www . WallkillValleyTimes . net
A hazy point of law Solar applications prompts more questions in Crawford
By JESSICA COHEN
An application to install solar panels for a public utility on private land has spotlighted the vague areas of the new Crawford solar installation law . As the first applicants under that law , representatives from Borrego Solar Systems , Inc . based in Manhattan , are now working through those vagaries with town boards . They appeared before the Crawford Zoning Board of Appeals last week , after their application with Crawford Planning Board hit an impasse .
The Undefeated
Seussical , Jr .
SERVING CRAWFORD , GARDINER , MAYBROOK , MONTGOMERY , PINE BUSH , SHAWANGUNK , WALDEN AND WALLKILL
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One question baffled both the ZBA and planning board : How much wooded land can be cleared for solar panels ? Other questions also arose .
Borrego project developer Alex Farkes
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Bond Brungard
Brothers Bryan and Brandon Powell , left and center , and Jahri Evans , right , team captains , enjoy raising the plaque for Pine Bush after the Bushmen defeated Burke Catholic Saturday to win the Section 9 Boys Class AA title . The Bushmen , who completed an undefeated regular season , advance to the state tournament this week . Story on page 44 .
New look for Wallkill
Street work expected to begin this spring
By TED REMSNYDER
A project that ’ s been years in the making is finally on the verge of coming to fruition in Shawangunk , as the Town Board awarded a bid for its upcoming sidewalk repairs at the group ’ s March 2 meeting . The renovations , which would refurbish sidewalks along Main Street , Park Avenue , Central Avenue , Bridge Street and Church Street , could commence in April or May pending State Department of Transportation approval . A state grant will cover the costs of 95 percent of the project , and since the program includes the distribution of federal funds , the state must sign off on the construction .
At the Thursday meeting , the board approved a $ 1,514,736 bid from Whispering Pines company to carry out the work , pending the state ’ s approval . The town would like to have the construction complete before the Wallkill Bridge is closed for repair work starting in June . The sidewalk project has been in the works for nine years , and really started to gain momentum last spring when the town learned its initial planned outlay of 20 percent of the project funding would be reduced to just five percent under the state grant . The town will take the sidewalk construction funds out of the sewer district and will be reimbursed after they apply for their money back from the state .
The deal requires the contractors to provide the town ’ s engineers with a field office for the duration of the project , and
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