Developer of Proposed Solar Farm for Parcel off Holmdel Road Seeks Land Use Variances

A proposal to construct a ground-mounted 4.8 mega watt solar panel facility on farm property off Holmdel Road, next to Vonage Headquarters, will be reviewed by the Zoning Board of Adjustment on Wednesday, April 27.

Cornerstone Power Holmdel, based in Chicago, IL, is seeking land use variances to enable the development of a solar facility on a 34-acre parcel of land bordered by dense woods.  The proposed solar panels and inverters would cover approximately 16 acres of the property. 

Tomorrow, on April 20, the Environmental Commission will review the plans submitted by the applicant, including an Environmental Impact Statement prepared by Whitman of East Brunswick. Areas of forested freshwater wetlands are located next to Willow Brook, located on the property, but will not be disturbed, the report said. The Dept. of Environmental Protection says the rare black-crowned night heron has also been seen at the property, but the report says that wooded portions along Willow Brook and forested wetland may be suitable for its habitat.  

Based on a meeting with Whitman and the NJDEP, the solar farm is permitted to be located within the outer extents of the 300-foot Willow Brook buffer and no negative effects to Willow Brook are expected. Also, there will be no activity within the wetlands transition areas of the property. 

If approved and constructed, the installation of a commercial solar farm would be lucrative for the township without burdening its services, according to a Fiscal Impact Study report by Beacon Planning and Consulting Services of Colts Neck, submitted by the applicant.

 Currently, the farmland is assessed at $28,000 and generates $549 in annual revenues, the report said. If the solar facility wins approval, the property could be assessed at nearly $3 million, producing $58,374 in annual tax revenues, Beacon consultants said.

Those payments would be split at follows: $9,629 to Township of Homdel; $9,449 to the county; and $39,296 to Holmdel Township school district, according to the report.

Additionally, the project will also generate a one-time payment of approximately $151,843 in rollback taxes, based on the conversion of the property from agricultural to commercial use, the report said. This number is based on an estimated selling price. The revenues would be allocated as follows: $127,126 to Township of Holmdel and $24,717 to county, according to the report. Rollback taxes are not distributed to the school district.

According to Whitman, power will be distributed directly from the solar panels to several onsite pad mounted inverters. The inverters will connect to several onsite pad mounted electrical equipment stations owned by the electric company. Electrical energy will then be resold to JCP&L or a similar electrical utility, for use in the their grid and for sale to their customers. The solar farm will be adding renewable energy into the electrical utility’s grid system and the impacts will be positive, said consulting engineers. 

The land is in the Office / Laboratory – 2 Zone and is owned by Robert Gallinaro of Arizona, who previously won approvals to put two office buildings there. The plan included onsite parking for 667 vehicles. Those approvals would be abandoned if the proposed solar facility is approved by the Board.

The proposal calls for the site to be hidden behind a double row of 43 mature white pine trees. In addition to the 78 x 10 foot solar panels in evenly spaced rows, on-site equipment would include four inverters, electrical equipment and a switchgear. Two old barns and a shed, in disrepair and without historical value, according to the applicant's experts, would be knocked down. A locked gate will control entry to the site. An 8-food tall chain link fence for security purpose would surround the property.

CornerStone Power is represented by Michael Bruno of Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla, P.C. of Middletown. 

Both the Zoning Board and Environmental Commission meetings are held at Town Hall and open to the public. The Zoning Board of Adjustment meets April 27 at 8 p.m. The Environmental Commission meets April 20 at 7:30 p.m.