At their regular meeting, the Rochester Planning Board applied their signatures to the official plans for the proposed solar panel array, to be located in the Little Quittacas part of town.
The application process for the array, which would collect solar power to be used by the water department of the City of New Bedford, has taken months, but the project will soon be underway.
During the meeting, chairman Arnold Johnson said that the official window for residents to file appeals had closed but that no such filings were received by the town.
The array will feature thousands of photovoltaic panels, which will be completely fenced as a safety precaution. The project includes provisions for the construction of a large berm on the side bordering the closest abutters. The berm will be planted with various types of native vegetation and will serve as an aesthetic mask and wind screen for the homes closest to the array.
The next meeting of the Rochester Planning Board will be held on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 7:00 pm at the Town Hall.
By Eric Tripoli
