After 27 Months of Moratoriums, Chatham Is Ready to Show Its Solar Law

A lay person's guide to understand the new solar plan. It also begs the question: does Chatham need a moritorium on commerical development on its historic dirt roads?

Twenty-seven months. That is how long the Town of Chatham has gone without accepting a solar application. Now, finally, residents get to see what all that waiting bought.

The town will present its draft solar law on June 20 at 2 p.m. at the Tri-Village Fire Company, 111 County Route 13, Old Chatham. The proposal, now in version 4.2, is the product of more than two years of study, drafting, public comment, and a moratorium that has been extended so many times it has begun to feel permanent.

It started on March 7, 2024. The Town Board adopted a six-month moratorium on the review and approval of solar energy array applications. The reasoning was simple. The town had no regulations governing solar development, larger projects were sniffing around the area, and the board wanted rules in place before anyone broke ground.

Six months became twelve. Twelve became twenty-seven.

The drafting fell to a four-member Solar Law Committee appointed in June 2024: Supervisor Donal Collins, Town Board member…