Sarah Trafton is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the Catskill Planning Board July 23 gave the go-ahead to a new solar energy project. The 1.6-megawatt proposal for Cauterskill Road was presented to the town board in January by representatives of Renua Energy, Omni Navitas and Crawford & Associates Engineering. More than 5,000 solar panels will be installed on 5.8 acres of the 112-acre property, which the company will lease for 25 years from owners Alfred and Nancy Beers. Included in the resolution for the project’s special-use permit is a condition that the fence around the project be eight feet tall, unless an equivalent agreement is made with the Code Enforcement Officer. Other conditions included a stormwater management plan, erosion management plan, vegetation management plan, installation limited to the dry weather, avoidance of using herbicides to maintain the property, providing fire safety training, abiding by the Operations and Maintenance Schedule and limiting panels to six-and-a-half feet in height. Concerns expressed by Scenic Hudson and Olana State Historic Site concerning visual impact have been resolved, Planning Board Chairman Joseph Izzo said. Izzo, Planning Board Vice Chairman Larry Federman, board members Teresa Golden, Charlez Holtz and Reid Mower voted in favor of the project. Board member Bridget Hernandez voted "no," and Thomas Decker was absent. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.