The December 20 meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board found the members united on an application for site-plan review filed by Randall Lane Solar LLC for a 22-acre solar array.
Originally filed approximately one year ago, the project team headed by Eric Las of Beals and Thomas were tasked with satisfying concerns of possible freshwater contamination, construction within a designated wetlands, use of a rural dirt lane for construction vehicles and fears that an historic stone bridge might be negatively impacted by large transport vehicles, to list a few. On this night all those concerns and more would be laid to rest.
Leading up to their decision were previous meetings that covered issues related to containment of toxic chemicals in the event of a leak. Caroline Booth of Beals and Thomas had represented the property owners during the December 16 ZBA hearing for a Special Permit requested for the project. She once again confirmed that transformers and batteries associated with electrical transmission and storage are, in fact, enclosed in containment units that looked like “shipping containers.” The ZBA granted the Special Permit contingent upon approvals from the Planning Board and the Conservation Commission.
Las was asked when construction might begin. He responded that it could take up to two years before actual construction might begin. He said the interconnection to the Eversource electrical grid has not been scheduled, but that it is normal for the long timeline given that local approvals were needed before the project would be considered by the utility.
When it came to confirming that all Planning Board questions had been fully aired and responded to, Chairman Tom Tucker asked for and received a motion to approve a draft decision accepting the site-plan review. The vote was unanimous.
However, the developers and project teams are not done with the Planning Board just yet. A request for creation of a subdivision at the project site is pending. The acreage in question is jointly owned by members of the extended Randall family, who have agreed to assign a large swath of land in the area of the project to permanent conservation restriction.
In other business, the Planning Board approved a Form A, Approval Not Required (ANR) application filed by Chase Wingate for property located at 42 River Road.
Continued to January 3 is a roadway project associated with a definitive subdivision for Nicky’s Lane. Seven waivers were approved for the construction. Bill Madden of G.A.F. Engineering, representing the owners, said he would return with a bond estimated in the amount of $177,000 for the board’s consideration.
David Andrews, representative for the Bay Club, came before the board seeking release of lots in consideration for a letter of credit. The letter of credit is meant to provide the town with assurance that roads within the Bay Club subdivision will be completed or some means of receiving financing to complete roads in their stead. However, Planning Board member Janice Robbins said that the letter in question is really a “lender’s agreement” that does not equate to a cash bond. “I’d rather see the town have the money than get involved with the bank,” she said.
Andrews said he would return to the board on January 3 with a bond proposal.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, January 3, at 7:00 pm.
Mattapoisett Planning Board
By Marilou Newell