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Table of Content
Project Overview & Narrative
Bomber Heights Solar
Troy Road| Town of Ithaca, NY
Primary Contact:
Ryan McCune
Nexamp Solar
101 Summer Street, 2nd Fl
Boston, MA 02110
607-592-5648
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................... 2
Project Team ................................................................................................................................. 3
Project Summary .......................................................................................................................... 4
Project Details ............................................................................................................................... 5
Existing Site Conditions ................................................................................................................ 6
Proposed Array Layout ................................................................................................................. 7
Existing Conditions ....................................................................................................................... 8
Permitting and Project Design ...................................................................................................... 9
Draft Construction Schedule ....................................................................................................... 14
Company Overview ..................................................................................................................... 15
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Project Team
Company Role Name Email
Nexamp Solar, LLC Lead Developer Ryan M McCune com
LaBella PC Project Manager Kelly Sullivan
Lead Site Plan Designer Andrew Graham
Lead Civil Designer Mufuta Tshimanga
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Project Summary
Members of the Town Planning Board,
Nexamp is excited to present the Town of Ithaca with its plan for a solar system located on Troy
Rd in Ithaca. This Community Solar system will be constructed on a collection of open fields owned by
Troy Heights, LLC . As we embark on the application process, Nexamp hopes to learn more about the
Town’s desires for ongoing solar development, and ultimately, we are seeking feedback that will help our
team adjust our final design as we head into environmental and site plan approval processes.
The proposed solar array is a single-axis sun-tracking system, which optimizes system performance by
tracking the sun from east to west throughout the day. The Utility-approved system is 4.5MWac and
should occupy 25-30 acres of fenced area each.
The proposed project will also include construction of a new gravel access road leading to the proposed
solar array area, Single-Axis Tracker solar racking, no more than two inverter/transformer equipment
pads, Solar Energy Storage, new overhead utility poles, and and code compliant deer fence around the
perimeter of each solar array. There will be a moderate amount of site grading, largely as a result of tree
clearing and the installation of robust stormwater management systems to limit erosion and runoff. At
the conclusion of construction, the soil will be seeded with a locally appropriate seed mix to prevent soil
damage and promote deep root growth. Vegetation management within the solar array would be
accomplished by mowing and/or sheep grazing within the fenced area.
At the end of their lives, the solar arrays will be decommissioned, and the site restored back to the
current existing condition, per Town Code requirements.
Included in this packet is an overview of the project, including system design, environmental conditions,
the estimated permitting process, and a sample construction schedule. Additionally, should the board
members or Town employees want to better familiarize themselves with Nexamp and its history, we have
provided a brief overview of our company as well.
We sincerely thank all members of the board for their consideration, and we hope that this pre-
application process sets the groundwork for a productive partnership in the future.
Best,
Ryan M McCune
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Project Details
*
Address Troy Rd, Ithaca, NY Panels Silfab 650W Bifacial Panels
Tax Parcels 49.-1-26.2 Inverters Solectria String Inverters
Zoning District LDR - Solar Overlay Energy Storage 5MW - 20MWh
8 – Tesla MegaPack
System Size 5MWac Racking Nevados
Total Fenced
Acreage
25-30 acres Property Setbacks: Front ~400’
Side ~ 75’
Back ~ 84’’
**Racking, battery and panel providers subject to change due to supply chain constraints
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Existing Site Conditions
Summary
As part of its initial due diligence related to the site, Nexamp has worked with civil and environmental
contractors to conduct extensive physical, environmental, and permitting diligence on the site. Pre-
Permitting meetings with the Town have informed our current design, and as designed the site in
question will not require any environmental permits other than those associated with its SWPPP and
eventual SPDES permit application.
Phase one environmental studies have found no evidence of Recognized Environmental Conditions
(RECs), Historical Recognized Environmental Conditions (HRECs) or Controlled Recognized Environmental
Conditions (CRECs) within the fenced area of the site.
Our project is subject to full SEQR review by the Town of Ithaca Planning Board. Phase I Environmental
reports can be shared with the Town upon request. The Phase I study was conducted by our civil
engineering partners at LaBella PLLC, and was completed pursuant to ASTM, E1527-13 standards.
Tax Parcel
Currently, the project is slated for construction on a single parcel; 49.-1-26.2, located in the Town’s Low
Density Residential District. The parcel in question is part of the Town’s Large Solar Overlay District.
Wetlands & Drainage
While this site does contain several sections of poorly drained soils, there are no DEC recognized
wetlands present on the site. A site jurisdictional determination request was filed, and issued in 2025
which confirms this status. Site analysis shows several potentially non-jurisdictional wetlands on the site.
These wetlands may be non-jurisdictional due to their lack of continuous surface-level connection to any
Navigable Waterway. USACE coordination on the matter is underway. Should USACE assert jurisdiction, a
Nationwide permit allowing for disturbance of wetlands over .25 acres would be required, should they
not assert jurisdiction no additional permitting is required. Given the time constraints surrounding USACE
staffing and priorities, our recommendation is that the Town proceed with its analysis, and add USACE
approvals as a condition precedent to the issuance of a building permit.
Wildlife
Preliminary analysis of the NYS Environmental Resource Mapper and NYS EAF Mapper have shown no
species of interest, or endangered species within the project area, or area of impact. USFWS has
indicated two endangered species in the area: the Monarch Butterfly and the Northern Long Eared Bat. A
determination Key letter for the NLEB was issued in June 2026, stating that the project is Not Likely to
Adversely Affect (NLAA).While impacts are unlikely, the project is open to adhering to tree clearing time
of year restrictions (Nov-Mar), should that be requested by the Board.
Archaeological Resources
A SHPO No Impact Letter was issued, stating no expected impacts, in June 2026.
Soils
The facility does not fall within a recognized agricultural district, and per USDA mapping, no prime soils
exist within the proposed project footprint.
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Proposed Array Layout
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Existing Conditions
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Permitting and Project Design
Nexamp has progressed through the design process while consulting the new Solar Code, and thus feels
confident that its final project design adheres to all the stipulations codified in the Town’s local Solar law.
Nexamp’s system is qualified as a Full-Size Solar system, per the guidelines issued in the latest Town of
Ithaca Solar Code. As designed, our project meets all the design, signage and safety standards as outlined
in the local law and will be eligible for site plan approval consideration by the Town Planning Board. Per
the town’s Solar Law, we have, or will furnish the following materials to aid with the consideration of our
site plan application.
Items highlighted in bold have been amended since the original submission, as of 4/4/2026.
0.0- Project Narrative
0.1 – Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) FAQ
1.0 – Application (completed online)
1.1 – Owners Authorization
1.2 – Memorandum of Lease
1.3 – Deed
2.0 – Site Plan Designs
2.1 – Three Line Electrical Diagrams
3.0 – FEAF Part 1
4.0 – Wetland Delineation and Report
4.1 NYS DEC Parcel Determination
5.0 – NYSHPO Documentation (Pending as of 4/1/2026)
6.0 – FAA No Hazard Determination
7.0 – USDA Soil Map
7.1 USDA Bedrock Mapping
8.0 Habitat Assessment Memoranda
8.1 USFWS Concurrence Letters
9.0 Visual Simulation Memoranda
9.1 – Viewshed Analysis
9.2 - Line of Sight Analysis
9.3 - Glint and Glare Study
9.4 - Visual Renderings
10.0 SWPPP Report
10.1 Infiltration Testing Data
11.0 Emergency Response Plan
11.1- Fire Chief Correspondence (these materials have been provided to
the Town, but have not been uploaded to public data rooms)
12.0 Decommissioning Plan
13.0 Operations and Maintenance Plan
14.0 CESIR Study
15.0 Spec Sheets
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We expect the Town to designate this project a Type I action under SEQR and encourage the Town
Planning Board to take lead agency of the project to retain greater oversight as to the final design and
legal conditions attached to the site plan approval for the project. In addition to town approvals, we
expect the project to be subject to the following approvals prior to construction.
Jurisdiction Approving Party Approval Status Notes
Town of Ithaca Planning Board SEQR Declaration In Process - Applied
Town of Ithaca Planning Board Preliminary Site Plan Approval In Process – Applied
Town of Ithaca Zoning Board of Appeals Area Variance – Tree Clearing In Process – Applied
Town of Ithaca Planning Board Final Site Plan Approval In Process
Tompkins Count Planning Board 239-m Approved Conditions: - Inclusion of Tompkins County EMR in
the ERP
- Suggestion to increase the frequency of
plowing to storms under 10”
Town of Ithaca Code Enforcement Officer Building Permit To Be Submitted
New York State NYS DEC SPDES Water Permit To Be Submitted MS4 Approval must be granted by the Town of
Ithaca prior to DEC submission
New York State NYSDEC Wetland Jurisdictional
Determination
Approved – No Impact
New York State NYSHPO No Impact Letter Approved – No Impact
Federal Government FAA Navigation Impact Designation Approved – No Impact
Federal Government USFWS No Impact letter Approved NLEB – Not Likely to Adversely Affect Green Floater – No Impact
Federal Government USACE Nationwide Permits 14, 51 In Process
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Permitting and Design Compliance
Zoning: The proposed site at Troy Road is located within the LDR district, as well as the solar
overlay district provided by the Town of Ithaca. The parcel is not part of a required open space
area or park-side area. The facility should be designated as a Large-Scale Ground Mounted PV
system. It exists entirely on one parcel, and the solar facility footprint does not exceed 35 acres.
All project equipment is setback are a minimum of 75ft, access roads occur within this setback to
comply with road placement regulations.
Standard Requirement Project Compliance
Permitted Use Allowed Complies – parcel is included in the Town’s
Overlay District
Lot Coverage Up to 35 acres Complies – Project is less than 35 acres
Tree Clearing No more than 20% of 10 acres on
the lot, no more than 10% of the
balance
Per code, expected allowed tree clearing is 6.201
acres.
Total Tree clearing approximately ±23 acres. An
Area Variance application has been filed under
permit number ZBAA-26-8
Setbacks 75 ft from property lines and streets Complies – design respects setbacks to all
generating equipment
Fencing 8 ft wildlife-friendly fence, ≥25 ft
setback
Complies – wildlife-friendly fencing planned
Buffering 50 ft vegetative buffer Complies – landscape buffer provided
Height Limit ≤ 20 ft Complies – solar panels < 20 ft
Decommissioning Financial assurance for full removal Complies – decommissioning plan will be filed
with Site Plan Application
Interconnection: This is a 5MWac, 20MWh Energy Storage facility connected via local distribution
grid to the South Hill Substation. The facility was approved by NYSEG in April of 2024. The system
is planning to Interconnect via utility poles on Troy rd. at a new proposed entrance. Conduit
within the system fence, and all conduit heading to the POI will remain underground, buried to
NYSDAM and Town of Ithaca standards, to the extent approved by the utility. Transmission
crossings will be regulated and permitted by NYSEGs ROW Engineering Team
Racking: Racking suppliers are somewhat fluid at this stage, due to the early age of the project
and lack of visibility into later-stage availability. Regardless of supplier, the system will be a Single-
Portrait single-axis tracker system, mounted to the ground via either steel I beams or ground
screws. The overall system height should not be more than 17-18 ft at peak tilt. Panels utilized
will be a PV, domestically produced bifacial variety, covered with anti-glare coating to meet the
Town of Ithaca’s requirements.
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Roads: Roads for this project have been located and constructed to preserve safety and comply
with the Town’s soil protection requirements. The one deviation is that all roads will be
constructed to 20’ wide to allow for easy passage by first responders.
Construction and maintenance access will be conducted via the main access off Troy Road. The
road will continue through the facility past the energy storage facilities to the rear fence for fire
access as directed by the IFD. Construction and access roads will be built at grade where possible,
but several raised areas will occur to preserve existing drainage patters and ensure adequate
stormwater protections.
A temporary laydown area will be constructed off the Construction and Maintenance access road
for storage of all construction material, equipment, and employee parking throughout the
systems construction. This laydown area will be removed, excess stone spread on road surfaces,
and soil seeded and remediated prior to final completion.
Stormwater: All roads will be impervious surfaces treated to NYSDEC standards. A SWPPP and
stormwater narrative have been included in our application materials to better outline these
features and their respective functionality. Extensive temporary protections will be installed
during construction to prevent runoff and soil damage, including ground-level silt controls around
all proposed tree clearing, and areas of disturbance. A 5-acre waiver is being sought, so
stormwater inspections will take place bi-weekly throughout active construction. DEC reports will
be shared with Town engineers at their request.
Screening and Vegetation: The project as designed preserves substantial natural screening to the
North, West and East. This natural, native screening is going to be preserved to substantially
screen the project. To augment this natural screening, trees have been proposed along Troy Rd
and abutting eastern property lines to screen landowners to the North/Northwest and East of the
proposed array. During and following construction, Nexamp plans to seed the facility with Ernst
Buzz and Fuzz, an ASGA-approved grazing and pollinator friendly seed mix that will promote
foraging and pollinator habitat in the project area.
Fencing: The project was designed with 8’ farm fence throughout the site, satisfying NEC
requirements. Posts will be PT wood, save gate entrances which will be standard metal poles for
stability. The fence is small-wildlife friendly, made of galvanized steel 2.5” mesh, and will be
installed at 2” above grade.
Construction Practices: Nexamp; as the developer and contractor for the project will, manage all
subcontractors and steer the project with its own Project Management team. Per Town and State
Requirements, the project will be constructed under NYSDAM guidelines, dictating soil
management and storage in addition to environmental monitoring requirements. The facility
does not impact any prime soils, so environmental monitoring will be handled by on-site, Nexamp
Project Managers. NYSDEC stormwater requirements and installations will be handled under the
SPDES permit to be issued to the company.
Operations and Maintenance: Nexamp Asset Management Services, LLC, a subsidiary of Nexamp
Inc, will be the long-term asset manager for the system. Nexamp has never sold one of its NYS
assets and has only parted with a few of the 100+ Community Solar Systems it has developed and
constructed in NYS. As such, we feel confident in the promises made in our Operations and
Maintenance Plan, included in our submission. This O&M Plan covers routine inspections and
maintenance, stormwater inspections, vegetative maintenance, invasive species management
and snow removal.
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Decommissioning: Decommissioning plan with cost certification was submitted that meets town
requirements, additional decommissioning agreements can be supplied for consideration by the
Town.
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Draft Construction Schedule
The project will proceed through a coordinated local and state permitting process. Locally, approval
requires Sketch Plan Review, Zoning Variance Review followed by Site Plan Review consideration before
the Town of Ithaca Planning Board. At this time, the Planning Board has taken jurisdiction over SEQRA.
In addition to local approvals, the applicant is pursuing required state and federal permits, which may not
be complete at the time of initial filing. Anticipated permits include, US Army Corps Section 404-
Nationwide Permit, SHPO consultation, FAA hazard determinations, and endangered species reviews by
the appropriate State or Federal agencies. At this time, NYSDEC coordination on wetland jurisdiction has
been completed, and no jurisdictional wetlands have been claimed within the development area.
Once local permits have been received, and conditions have been met, the project expects to follow a 12-
18 month construction window, which may be affected by weather.
Sample Construction Schedule
Months 0-3 – Tree Clearing – Grading – Stormwater Control Installation
Months 3-6 – Road Installation, Trenching and conduit Installation, Equipment Pad Installation
Months 6-10 – Racking Installation – Inverter Installation
Months 10-14– Panel Installation, BESS placement, Electrical Start
Months 12-16 – Electrical Installation – MV Cabling – POI construction
Months 16-18 – QA /QC – Remedial Action
Month 18 – Operations
Deployment for construction is expected within 6-9 months of project acceptance, subject to equipment
availability.
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Company Overview
In 2007, U.S. Army veterans Will Thompson and Dan Leary realized a vision for making a range of
renewable energy options more affordable and accessible to homeowners and businesses throughout the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The pair launched NexGen Energy Solutions, a turnkey provider of
renewable energy and carbon solutions, in their hometown of North Andover, Massachusetts. NexGen
became Nexamp later in 2007.
During the early years, Nexamp delivered a variety of energy systems for residential, commercial,
municipal and agricultural customers. Energy solutions offered included solar PV, solar thermal, micro-
wind, geothermal heating and cooling, and a wide array of energy efficiency services. In 2011, Nexamp
shifted its focus fully toward commercial and industrial scale solar facilities, working with businesses,
municipalities, and property owners that wanted to realize the various benefits of renewable solar
generation.
2015 marked Nexamp’s first community solar project and the beginning of a new chapter for the
company. Leveraging its integrated approach of developing, building, owning and operating solar plants,
Nexamp turned its focus to community solar, and alongside that the mission of making the benefits of
solar power available to everyone—homeowners, renters, non-profits, small businesses, farms and more.
Nexamp was named NECEC Clean Energy Company of the Year in 2015 and a Solar Power World Top 3
Commercial Solar Developer in 2017.
In 2016, Mitsubishi’s Diamond Generating Corporation made a significant investment in Nexamp, and in
2018 the group made an additional investment that gave it a controlling interest. Serving a rapidly
expanding network of individuals, property owners, businesses, and communities that benefit from its
nationally distributed portfolio of solar assets, Nexamp is a Massachusetts-based, nationally
headquartered solar company that is laying the groundwork for a cleaner, more secure and resilient
energy future.
Throughout 2022, Nexamp permitted and financed more than 250MWs of community solar projects in 12
states, with more than half of that total capacity occurring in New York State. Our team expects to bring
another 250MWs through permitting and financing through 2023, adding to our industry-leading
community solar portfolio. Even in uncertain times, our team has considered to set the bar for not only
developing sustainable projects but managing them and working with our partner communities to build
lasting relationships.
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Company Information
Year Founded 2007
Years in Business 19
Ownership Status Privately held, Delaware Corporation
Year Established 2007
Other Legal Names of Firm Nexamp Capital, LLC
Nexamp Solar, LLC
Nexamp Asset Management Services, LLC
Parent Company Nexamp, Inc.
Federal Tax Identification 261541318
Number of Employees, 473 full-time employees