LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Great Barrington calls for a solar bylaw 

Credit:  By Trevor Jones, Berkshire Eagle Staff, www.berkshireeagle.com 3 December 2011 ~~

GREAT BARRINGTON – Town officials are looking to have a bylaw in place by May 2012 that would restrict large-scale solar projects.

The Select Board has directed Town Manager Kevin O’Donnell to work with the Planning Board to craft a bylaw addressing large-scale commercial solar projects and where in town they could be constructed. The goal, according to board members, is to have the matter on the warrant of the 2012 annual town meeting.

The inquiry comes on the heels of Darien, Conn.-based CTC Electric’s presentation of a conceptual plan to building a 3- to 4-megawatt solar facility on agricultural parcels totaling 67 acres along Seekonk and Round Hill roads. A total of 19 acres would have to be fenced off for the array, which could produce enough energy for 500 homes, according to CTC.

While the town works on the zoning changes, O’Donnell said, there are a number of hurdles CTC will likely face that would prevent it from gaining approval before the bylaw potentially goes into effect. Those permitting impediments could include a state Environmental Protection Act review, a Wetlands Protection Act review by the Conservation Commission and site plan review by the Planning Board.

State law prevents unreasonable zoning restrictions on solar projects except for the purpose of protecting “public health, safety or welfare.”

CTC gave a preliminary review of its project to the Planning Board in November, though the company has not submitted any formal proposal. But even the preliminary report has drawn scorn from town officials and abutters who say it would take away from the scenic beauty of the area and would result in the loss of prime farm land.

But CTC and the property owner do have options, including freezing zoning by subdividing the land.

CTC CEO Eric Roddy declined to comment on the situation beyond saying, “As everyone is aware, we’re working proactively with the town. But beyond that, we have no comment at this point.”

Roddy also declined to confirm that CTC would still be going before Planning Board on Dec. 8 – the date it previously said it intended to make its formal presentation.

But when a bylaw could be ready to go before voters remains unclear. Jonathan Hanken, Planning Board chairman, said the board has a full agenda for its upcoming meetings and the earliest time to discuss the matter will come in January.

It also will be more complicated than simply putting together overlay districts, according to Hanken.

“That’s how zoning works; that’s not how solar works – for solar you need certain physical attributes,” said Hanken.

Abutters to the proposed CTC site continued to speak out against the plan at Monday’s Selectmen’s meeting. One resident said it would be the “beginning of the end of our town.”

Selectwoman Alana Chernila who, at Monday’s meeting, said she was “disturbed” by the direction the conversation was going in, told The Eagle that discussions of a new bylaw should also be an opportunity to re-affirm the town’s commitment to renewable energy.

“We need to prioritize renewable energy in our community as these things are coming up,” said Chernila. “It’s entirely possible that this project might not be in the right place, but I want to make sure we’re coming at it backed by that vision of becoming more energy-independent as a community.”

Source:  By Trevor Jones, Berkshire Eagle Staff, www.berkshireeagle.com 3 December 2011

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon