Hounsfield solar law hearing draws opposition to larger project
Residents attended an Oct. 14 public hearing in Hounsfield on updated solar regulations while voicing opposition to a large solar project in Hounsfield and Watertown that the local law does not cover.
By Caleb Mercer, ClickNNY North Country Desk
A public hearing on Hounsfield’s updated solar law drew residents concerned about a large solar project planned for Hounsfield and Watertown. The hearing was held Oct. 14 at Hounsfield Town Hall, 18774 County Route 66, Watertown, according to the town’s public notice.
The updated local law addresses battery storage and limits solar panels to no more than 40% of usable farmland on a property, according to information presented about the proposal. The rules apply to smaller-scale solar farms, not projects generating more than 25 megawatts that fall under the state Office of Renewable Energy Siting.
The state ORES record identifies a 120-megawatt Greens Corners Solar LLC project in Hounsfield and Watertown. A siting permit was issued Sept. 22, 2022. In January 2024, Boralex asked to increase the project to 140 megawatts while reducing the disturbed area to about 799 acres.
The project has also been described in public reporting as an approximately 800-acre farm involving AES Solar and landowner Ron Robbins. ORES records and a Boralex project page identify Greens Corners Solar LLC, associated with Boralex, as the project developer.
State siting rules have limited the role of local governments in projects subject to ORES review. The 2024 filing for Greens Corners sought waivers from several Hounsfield requirements, including a 100-foot setback, the 40% lot-coverage rule, a 15% vegetation-removal limit and town decommissioning provisions.
The solar proposal is part of a broader wave of development in the region. Sixteen solar projects were proposed in Jefferson County as of April 2026. The state also approved AES’s 125-megawatt Sugar Maple Solar project in Croghan and Wilna in April 2026. AES’s Tracy project in Jefferson County is expected to reach a notice-to-proceed milestone in February 2027, while the Limestone project in Lyme has drawn habitat concerns.
Solar projects of this size require a host community agreement. Terms for the Hounsfield project were still being worked out after the hearing.
Residents can follow updates through the Town of Hounsfield’s public hearing notice, the state ORES filing for Greens Corners Solar and the Boralex Greens Corners project page.
Reported by ClickNNY and reviewed by an editor before publication.
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