The March 26 meeting of the Rochester Planning Board included discussion about screening for the solar facility planned by Renewable Energy Development Partners, LLC at 109 Neck Road. The project will feature a number of ground-mounted panels, including a newer, solar-construction concept of “dual use,” solar-plus agriculture and placement of panels over cranberry-bog canals. But the issue of screening remains a bit of a contentious matter.
REDP, headed by Hank Ouimet, came before the board to ask if it would be possible to install a “few” panels to “give a real-life” idea of proposed screening. Planning Board member Ben Bailey agreed in principle to a few panels being installed but cautioned that if more than that were allowed, the developer might use that to prove acceptance of the screening versus testing of the screening’s ability to mask the development.
Bailey said that from Snipatuit Pond, screening in place now looks “horrible … this is a real, serious screening problem,” he said, noting that screening in other locations seems to be missing. He said it looked like an industrial site.
Ouimet said he would look into screening options. The project includes three screening locations along Neck Road, Snipatuit Pond and Long Pond.
The board agreed to the installation of a few panels and requested that Town Planner Nancy Durfee send letters to the three abutters impacted by the project to get their input on screening. The date for that meeting is pending.
The board also held an informal discussion with Bill Madden of G.A.F. Engineering regarding a proposed hobby-barn construction for Mark and Ashley Briggs at 0 New Bedford Road.
The site as described by Madden is 10 acres with 3 acres planned for development. He said that the project still needs to be approved via Special Permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals and is also pending a sign-off letter from the Historical Commission.
The former dairy farm has lain undeveloped for years, he said. Test pits were completed, and stormwater drainage design includes infiltration systems. Fire safety for the 7,500 square-foot barn will include a sprinkler system, and a mechanical closet will contain utilities.
Chairman Arnie Johnson asked for a joint meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals, Historical Commission and the Planning Board. A meeting date and time is pending.
The Planning Board also met informally with Highland Development Ventures for the Rochester Crossroads project, self-storage facility on Cranberry Highway. The project will feature both interior units and drive-up units and a floor-drainage system.
Johnson said that the Highway Surveyor needed to weigh in on the project over possible roadway-surface impact from heavy construction vehicles.
Another self-storage facility, planned for Kings Highway and Cranberry Highway by JPF Development Ventures, was heard in a reopened, public site-plan review. This project contains seven buildings and an office. Madden also represented JPF Development Ventures.
Madden said peer-review consultant Ken Motta of Field Engineering made no comment regarding previously requested waivers, that the fire-protection engineer had no issues but that a final review/report from Motta is pending. Johnson said the site-plan review should be completed during the next meeting.
The board also met with Eric Weinstein of New Leaf Energy regarding battery storage units and with Matt Monteiro of the Rochester Land Trust regarding Agricultural mapping.
The next meeting of the Rochester Planning Board is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9, at 7:00 pm.
Rochester Planning Board
By Marilou Newell