Rochester Planning Board Chairman Arnold Johnson called a recent site visit to Covanta Energy’s planned Compressed Natural Gas refueling station on Cranberry Highway “pretty straightforward,” and members agreed that a public hearing on the project could take place as early as October 24.
Any concerns were “procedural as opposed to substantive,” said Johnson during an informal pre-submission meeting on Tuesday night, with the most notable being a “dip” in an access road that was pointed out by public safety officials.
Covanta engineer Larry Swartz said that the developers are addressing the road issue.
Elsewhere on the agenda, Jay Myrto of RGS Energy came before the Planning Board for an update on the Little Quittacas Solar Project on North Avenue. At issue was fencing for the facility, drainage basins, and a berm to obstruct visibility of solar arrays on the part of abutters.
“From the beginning, we knew they wouldn’t be 100 percent invisible from all angles,” Myrto said. “But, boy, we’re pretty close to that.”
Board members and Myrto were in concert on the project’s progress.
“At this point, I’m feeling pretty comfortable that you guys like what you see,” Myrto said.
“All in all, I think we’re in pretty good shape,” Johnson agreed. “I think we’re all on the same page.”
Myrto told the Planning Board that his company’s contract with Con Edison calls for the project to be completed in early 2014, with “substantial completion” in November.
The Planning Board is next scheduled to meet on October 24.
By Shawn Badgley
