Town Seeks Counsel on Proposed Solar Farm

The Rochester Board of Selectmen during a July 6 meeting commiserated with a dozen residents over their fears of a 10-acre solar farm slated for the town center’s historic district.

“As a member of the Board of Selectmen, you have an opinion,” said Selectmen Chairman Richard Nunes. “My opinion is it’s a bad location…. Why that site? Where could you have put it in a more worse location?”

Nunes told residents the board is seeking assistance from town counsel, and they may consider a special town counsel to assist the Rochester Historical District Commission, Planning Board, and other concerned boards if needed throughout the permitting process for the project.

“That’s already in the works,” Town Administrator Michael McCue stated. “I don’t want to say ‘a slippery slope,’ but there’s things we need to do as a town … to make sure everything is done within the confines of the law.”

Former chairman of the Historical District Commission, Debra Ladd, voiced her support for the development of solar energy facilities in Rochester and in general, but not in the heart of the town’s historic district.

“It’s a very precious district. It’s been there for many hundreds of years and we’ve taken great pains [to protect it]. There are a lot of other places that probably could be chosen that are better,” said Ladd, adding that the purpose of establishing a historic district is to protect the characteristic, history, and nature of the district. “Certainly these panels would not do that. They would do nothing to enhance the historic district at all.”

The solar farm would require the clear-cutting of 10 acres of wooded land at the site of the old Gibbs dairy farm between New Bedford Road and Dexter Lane, abutting several residences and the historic cemetery.

Current Historical District Commission member Laurie Vincent was concerned that developer NextSun Energy’s plans have changed several times since the company first approached the commission back in January. According to Vincent, the developer’s plans once showed a 60-foot wooded buffer zone surrounding the solar arrays, but now the plan reflects only a 20-foot buffer. She also opposed the latest plan to cut down trees within that buffer zone that exceed 20 feet in height to prevent shadowing on the arrays.

“There is no solar array anywhere in the State of Massachusetts in a historic district,” said Vincent. She said she hopes this will serve as a precedent for the town to prevent such a solar farm from being built within their historic district.

Abutter to the proposed project, Matthew Monteiro, whom the selectmen had earlier approved for appointment to the Historical District Commission, said he had a few major concerns, including, “It’s very close to the wetlands…. It’s going to change the drainage and affect the wetlands.” Monteiro also brought up declining property values.

“We’re not saying you can’t put a solar farm in Rochester,” said Ladd. “We’re just saying, be a little bit more careful of where you choose to put it.”

Selectman Brad Morse, seeing that most of the concerns were outside the purview of the Board of Selectmen, suggested to residents that they allow the Planning Board and the Conservation Commission to oversee the process and address residents’ concerns.

Town Meeting members had recently passed a zoning bylaw amendment allowing for mixed-use within the limited commercial district zone in the center of town, with the intent of permitting development of shops and offices or apartments, mentioned Nunes.

“Like a village effect, where people can live and purchase things from stores,” said Nunes. “And I don’t really see how a solar farm in an area where you’re trying to develop a village district is going to encourage something that you just passed. And yet, right next door you have a solar farm.”

“It doesn’t make sense,” replied Selectman Naida Parker. Parker upheld the town’s support for solar, but stressed that location is key. She said the town should look toward the Massachusetts Historical Commission and the local Historical District Commission as the “biggest gun or stick” in the fight to protect the historical town center from the development of a solar farm.

Parker said that although in the past she has not always agreed with the commission, “This is one of those times when I firmly support the Historical District [Commission’s] preservation of the center.”

Nunes continued with his opposition to the location of the proposed solar farm.

“You’re basically taking ten acres of property that is connected to the downtown area,” said Nunes, “in a place where you just zoned for mixed-use … and you’re making it absolutely non-usable to the public.” Even if they put up a berm for screening, said Nunes, “Is that the answer? Simply hiding it?”

McCue told residents he would keep in contact with them as the process unfolds and alert them of upcoming board and commission meetings pertaining to the solar farm.

Also during the meeting, the board approved a contract with Comcast, but after a brief discussion continued from the last selectmen’s’ meeting, they board decided not to pursue the installation of a live feed hub at the police station.

Nunes had long advocated for making a deal with Comcast to pay for half of the $16,000 it would cost to install the hub, but Morse and Parker agreed that the service was not worth the cost to the taxpayers and the cable consumers.

The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is scheduled for July 20 at 6:30 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

By Jean Perry

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