Referred to: The Energy, Environment and Sustainability Committee (Chairman Hewitt and Legislators Donaldson, Greene, Litts, Nolan, Stewart, and Walls), The Economic Development, Planning, Education, Employment, Arts and Agriculture Committee (Chairwoman Sperry and Legislators Clinton, Corcoran, Hewitt, Litts, Stewart and Walls), The Health, Human Services and Housing Committee (Chairman Uchitelle and Legislators Collins, Corcoran, Harmon, Kitchen, Lopez, and McCollough), The Public Works, Capital Projects and Transportation Committee (Chair Nolan and Legislators Donaldson, Kovacs, Litts, and McCollough), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Collins, Hansut, Kovacs, Nolan, and Roberts)

Chairman of the Health, Human Services and Housing Committee, Abe Uchitelle, and Deputy Chair Craig V. Lopez offer the following:

WHEREAS, this resolution has been submitted at the request of the County Executiveonbehalf of the Department of the Planning;and

          WHEREAS, Ulster County’s housing costs for both rental and homeownership have been significantly impacted by the Pandemic and these impacts were most severe on low and moderate income families and individuals leading to a necessity for the creation of additional affordable housing opportunities; and

           WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No 274 of August 2020 the County Legislature recognized that the area of the former Jail on Golden Hill was suitable to meet these needs and authorized the necessary steps to allow for affordable housing development; and

          WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No 274 of August 2020 the County Legislature authorized the steps necessary for the transfer of real property owned by Ulster County to the Ulster County Housing Development Corporation (UCHDC) for the purposes of constructing a workforce and affordable housing project located on the site of the former jail; and

          WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 381 of August 2023 the County Legislature authorized the Chair of the Legislature to enter into an agreement to with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to accept grant funds for the construction of the Golden Hill Renewable Energy Project to install solar facilities on the Golden Hill Housing Development; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 382 of August 2023 the County Legislature authorized the Chair of the Legislature to enter into various agreements with the Golden Hill Owner LLC to provide for construction of solar facilities on the Golden Hill Project; and  

WHEREAS, the City of Kingston, acting as lead agency, under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) has determined that the Golden Hill Project will not have a significant impact on the environment; and

WHEREAS, the Golden Hill Owner has completed the financing necessary for the project, the lands on Golden Hill have been transferred from the Ulster County Housing Development Corporation to the Golden Hill Owner and construction work has begun; now, therefore be it

          RESOLVED,thatCapital Project No. 704 – Golden Hill Solar Project is hereby established as follows:

                                                  CREATE                                                                           AMOUNT

Capital Project No. 704                  Golden Hill Solar Project             $1,684,980.00

and,beitfurther

RESOLVED,thatthe2024UlsterCountyCapitalFundbudgetisherebyamendedasfollows:

                                                  INCREASE                                 AMOUNT

HH.1997.0704-2300.2550           Construction                              $1,684,980.00

(App.#)                                     

HH.1997.0704-3300.3989           State Aid                                    $1,684,980.00

(Rev.#),

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                       NOES:    

Passed Committee: Public Works, Capital Projects and Transportation on _____________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on _____________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

$1,684,980.00 – COUNTY CAPITAL FUND APPROPRIATIONS

$1,684,980.00 – NYS DEC GRANT REVENUES