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The Ellery Town Board has approved six month moratoriums for commercial solar and wind farms as well as battery energy storage systems.
The moratoriums were approved in June after public hearings were held with no comments received. Neil Robinson, town attorney, said regulations governing commercial solar developments in the town are two or three months away from being finalized. A first draft of the solar regulations
Dan Balling, owner of the Enclave Apartments in the former Fluvanna Elementary School, 2887 Fluvanna-Townline Road, Ellery, spoke to board members during the workshop session about the status of the public water line that may be coming into the town of Ellery. Balling told Councilman John Crescanti Sr., deputy supervisor, that the city of Jamestown won’t commit to a pipe size because the city hasn’t heard from the town of Ellery. Supervisor Larry Anderson said he would be in touch with Balling to discuss the matter.
The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities has recently partnered with the town of Ellicott to provide water through an expansion project that extends water lines to the edge of Ellery near Town Line Road. That project, according to Ellicott Town Board minutes, could begin sometime in August. Last year, the BPU contacted Ellery officials to inquire about future interest in expanding water services into the town. While nothing has been proposed yet, Larry Anderson, Ellery supervisor, and Jeff Molnar, Bemus Point mayor, said the results of a fall 2025 survey would help guide the town's decision. Because the extension will be serving Fluvanna, if Ellery wants to use BPU water a larger line must be installed by the town of Ellicott when the project begins in August.
For the second consecutive month a town resident approached the board with concerns about the potential development of a church camp on Beck Road in Ellery. According to the town’s zoning law, a church camp isn’t allowed in the Agricultural District where the camp is located. In both instances, Anne Golley, town zoning officer, said she hasn’t received a letter from the church attorney stating any plans for the property. Golley said nothing has been done with the property yet. On June 29, Anderson and Golley met with officials of the Corp Sole of Triumphant Life Church, who told Anderson and Golley that church officials want to have church services, school and a training center at the 4200 Beck Road site. The town officials asked the church to fome to a Town Board meeting with detailed materials regarding their plans and to request a special use hearing.