Planning Board Minutes
DATE:
October 7, 2014
Members Present: Sheila McCarthy, John Field, Dave Killian, and Pam Marquis
Convened: 7:08 pm
Review Engineering Proposals:
- Graves Engineering
- Tighe and Bond
- New England Environmental
Sheila asked if anyone had any specific thoughts. Dave mentioned that they have
overlapping thoughts with conservation. Pam stated these don’t show having a
traffic engineer, so that is a concern. Since it is a town road, Highway department
would be responsible for curb cut, traffic, getting in and out of the facility, needs
to be something planning board may be concerned about. Thinking about school
buses, before and after school traffic. Pam thought Tighe and Bond did a lot for
the solar companies and not the municipalities. Mike Loin from Bertin, said New
England Environmental is getting their letter out to conservation sometime this
week with regards to conservation/storm water. John does not think it is a
problem site where Tighe and Bond is needed. Graves discussed in their proposal
about curb cut. Pam likes the scope, the detail, of the proposal. Dave makes a
motion to contract with Graves Engineering to represent the town. Pam second,
all were in favor.
PUBLIC HEARING: Hearing Convened at 7:30pm. Proposed Solar Array at 53
Apple Road with Seaboard Solar/Bertin Engineering, Mike Loin as the
representative. They will follow the same gravel driveway following the current
cart path. A little over 5 acres will be used. Single access driveway, some areas
will be graded for the panels, but for the most part panels can follow the lay of
the land. Two small detention basins will be there, one on each side of the
project, so that the run off on the site does not increase what is already there.
Visibility wise, it won’t be visible from the road way or the residents. Rear
portions of the current homes, may see it during late fall/winter. The project is
surrounded by wetlands. It will have a six foot chain-link fence, with six inches
above the ground for smaller land animals to come through. A motion sensing
camera is onsite, to notify the police station. Inverter and Transformer will be
adjacent to the road way. EPA storm water pollution plan was filed as the site is
more than 5 acres. Site is surrounded by hay bales and silt fencing. Panels are on
a mounting type post, since it is a gravel site. Conservation hired New England
Environmental to work on behalf of the town with regards to
conservation/wetland issues.
Sheila-asked about posts. They are metal, size is generally 3x5, double row
wracking where 2 panels sit back to back length wise. 24 panels on a single rack,
2,328 panels, total. 97 racks. Dave asked about the driveway, will there be a
paved apron to the public road, Mike yes, it is already paved, has a tracking pad at
the bottom of the hill. Under the panels will be a low growth seed mix, hydro
seed the area, 8inch seed mix, maintenance once a year, within the fence line.
Tree clearing 12foot height around the outside of the fencing. They will keep the
trees 12ft. 160feet to the nearest neighbor. John, will there be lights on site at
night, answer only for the camera there will lighting. Tallest panel is 10ft, from
the top of panel, the fencing is 6.5 feet. Trees totally surround the site, keep the
growth in there, and trim trees to 12feet. Pam asked about construction
duration, Mike Loin stated approximately 4-5 months to construct. There is a
mixture of pine, cedar, and very little hard wood to be taken out. Width of road
is 12 feet. It has complete perimeter access around the entire site. There are
inverters in each string that has a shut off throughout the site, electronically
controlled through a computer, if there is an issue, such as if one of the racks
goes down, a service will be sent out to remedy the system. Site visit will happen
approximately by-weekly or monthly. If they came to clean it, it would be a pump
with fresh water and squeegee. Traffic during construction will consist of, tree
clearing 10 trucks approx., log trucks, contractor delivers equipment, the gravel
access road way will come from the site itself hopefully if not trucks of gravel 2-3
trucks an hour, delivery of materials by tractor trailer 5-6 loads of panels and 3-4
of posts, these are all approximates. Posts are hammered in if they can be, they
will be take approx. a week to get it done.
Sheila is opening it up the meeting to other boards: Bob Sullivan, BOA, concerned
about taxation. Is any of the property under chapter 61A, 61 or 61B? The owners
of the property said no, it is not. Are the owners of the project going to seek a tax
agreement, Mike Loin says yes. Bob asks that the planning board seek out the
owners to get in touch with BOA as soon as possible. Also that the
decommissioning agreement does not be attached to the tax agreement, that
they are separate. Mike states that they will keep their agreements separate.
The decommissioning plan is part of the project, our independent engineer will
look at it.
Nelson, Building Inspector- 6ft fence, he would like to see 7ft fence. No barbed
wire on the tops of fencing. Raise the fence up so it is 6.5 feet or higher. The pull
test, will be done on site. Nelson would like to be notified so he can be there.
Judy Sessler-BOA-Use of the land, if some of it is in chapter, you are now moving
it to an industrial use of the land. Change of use, industrial use MGL Zoning law
40A Section 3. Judy also mentioned when you go to sell your home may create
less value on the market. Per Mike Loin, MA DEP DOR, has put out a guidance
referencing values, so far the solar projects have not shown to reflect a decrease
in value.
ABUTTERS:
64 Apple Road, John Carpenter, what is the elevation of panels, the panels
is another 10 feet, he is 15 feet above that, means that he will be eye level.
Where does the crick go through? What are they going to do with the water run
off? Mike Loin stated, the site is responsible to take care their own run off. That
is why they have 2 basins that catch the water hold it for 48 hours and let it out
slowly to no affect the land and abutting wet lands. Noise level? Panels does not
have noise, the inverter has a small humming noise, 53 decibel within 25 feet
away it becomes a nonissue.
Planning board should put it in their orders of conditions about noise.
60 Apple Road-Vanessa Flynn-Is there an increase in temperature with
solar panels? No there is no increase in temp. Non glare panels, they absorb the
heat themselves. Pressure test question, what would be the height of panel if
concrete has to be used, the panels will go back to the 6ft height. How long for
construction compared, to Hubbardston. Concerned about how long the
construction will take as she has small children, Mike states approx. 5-6 months.
Where can they get information about values of homes, or hotter in the area etc.
Mike directed her to the 2012 MA questions and answers solar on the
government website.
37Apple Road- Jay Mulcahy-in his opinion it is hidden there, being that
there is trails and walking his dog, he does a lot of walking on the trails. Will the
camera go off?
45 Apple Road-Betsy Shelton-What are the solar panels going to be made
of? Silicone. The decommissioning or recycling of the panels, how long do they
last. Mike- 20yr life span guarantee. They lose about 16%, of their production
capability. If they are still viable, they will keep going, but with technology
chances are the panels will be switch out. Decommissioning plan, the poles will
be pulled, aluminum will be sent to recycler, fence down, left in will be the 2
basins, roads will be removed, so the site is back to the original natural site. Ms.
Shelton mentioned hearing aids are not affected but cell phones are. Mike
cannot comment about it, other than he has used them in the center of the solar
farms, but not issues. Mike said he would get an answer on it.
General Public:
Robert Sullivan-East Hill Road- the only abutter on the current solar farm. The
abutters have been affected by the noise during construction, and they worked
approx. 12 hours a day and on Sundays beginning at 6am. No effort on the part
of the solar company to work abutters. Hoping that the planning board, works
with solar company about the noise during construction. Can the site be viewed
from the surrounding abutters? The current abutters see the solar farm, whereas
the solar company did not think that the abutters would see it. Planning board
should be diligent with how the elevations may affect the surrounding properties
and how to mitigate the issue with the site of the solar farm. Go to each home,
take elevation and what to do for the abutters so they don’t have to look at a
solar farm. To assist the abutters and the solar company to work together, so
their view is not impacted by the project. Arborist and planners to hide the
project. Bob would like to see those part of the planning boards
conditions/agreement with the solar company.
Mike, set time frames to work 7-6 and only to noon on Saturdays and no Sundays.
Generally a Saturday is a skeleton crew. Elevation/view issue: Elevation of
house, elevation of field, show line of visibility from the highest point of their
home. Mike said if there are any abutters questioning it, Mike will get that done
for them, they can leave their addresses with him and he will make it a point to
work with the abutters.
Judy Sessler- Well water, how will it be affected. Concerned about surface water.
And consider the 30 private wells that may be affected. Mike said the washing
operation would happen in one day on a truck 1000 gallons or 1500 gallons on
the truck, he would not be taking water from the current vanes or streams. No
well, not drawing from ground water. Will not affect the aquaphor. Where will
the energy or electricity go? Possibility to electrify Tantasqua HS,.
Electric goes back into the grid system on the road way for the local community.
The high school could very well be drawing from the same power lines.
The face of the panels will face 148.
Pam-During construction scheduling sequencing, overflowing onto the road or
delays. Add a police officer as part of the conditions, they will give the chief their
schedule and he can make the decision about whether or not to have an officer.
Snow removal, will that be done? A local maintenance person will do it.
Continue the hearing to November 5th at 7:30pm. Dave motions and John
seconds, all were in favor.
OTHER ANRs/SITE PLAN REVIEWS:
OLD BUSINESS:
2015 Bylaw Changes for October Meeting
-Table of Contents
-Both Solar and Wind Bylaws- only a page or two-Simple Solar that covers height
and screenings. Farm land was getting gobbled up to move to smaller solar
farms. Dave thinks it is going to individualized. Currently we will have our own
engineer, and we should utilize them to be our eyes and ears. Dave is
comfortable with what we have for bylaws. Review the Zoning bylaws to get rid of
the inaccuracy.
-Right to Farm bylaw-committee.
-John making the tornado damaged land to commercial/business zoning.
-Pam does not like how the flea market looks during the off season, the fencing
etc. The curb appeal of the town needs revamping. The fencing and barbed wire.
-Zoning bylaw typos
-Cottage Industry Law-revisit it-better definition
-Kennel license with no zoning for kennel business
NEW BUSINESS:
- Issues with Cumberland Farms; traffic and backing out onto Route 20.
Have Chief Kuss attend our November meeting to discuss the situation
further.
OTHER:
- Review minutes of September: Pam Marquis abstained as she was
not present. Dave motions to accept the minutes as corrected and
John seconds.
- Payroll Clerk
Dave motions to adjourn, John Seconds-all in favor
9:18pm