Speaking before the Rochester Planning Board on Tuesday night, Eric Las itemized his way through a substantial list of show-and-tell tweaks to the Braley Hill North Solar project, all of this via video conferencing.
Whereas Las had presented before in-person and thoroughly engaged the Planning Board’s requests, his presentation will not guarantee an opening for the closing of large-scale projects in Rochester.
Planning Board Chairman Arnie Johnson is not in favor of public hearings via video conference “I’m very concerned about abutters voicing their opinion and this (platform) is not it,” he said.
Board clerk Ben Bailey asked if, considering that every applicant has a need, is the town setting itself up for a discriminatory claim.
Town Counsel Blair Bailey told Johnson he does not see an issue with opening a new hearing, but added, “I wouldn’t close one until we had a chance for everyone to be involved.”
Johnson didn’t consider any current applicant to be pressing for time.
Blair Bailey cautioned the board that the main issue is a potential backlog of cases and meetings with very busy dockets.
“The clock doesn’t start ticking on the governor’s calendar until 30 days after he declares an end to the state of emergency,” said Bailey.
The Braley Hill Road solar array was neither presenting nor concluding on April 14, merely updating to satisfy the board’s requests.
The plans, dated March 30, contained input from Town Planner Steven Starrett and included the discussion of work proposed for two parcels off of Braley Road, including the removal of stone walls, a description of bordering areas, a wetland system along the eastern side of the project and an added, 40-foot paved apron at the entry point off of Braley Road to the west.
A proposed tree line set 675 feet from the paved road would provide a sense of the distance to the project. The grade would rise from the road to the site with the array located mainly on the downslope side of the hill, so it will not be seen.
The site is 619 feet from the fence, over 600 feet from the installation, and panels are 500 feet from the north-bordering house and over 600 feet away from the south-bordering house.
Addressing concerns over temporary stump-grinding berms, Las told the Planning Board, “Our intent here is to have a grass surface below the panels. The wood-chip berms will be removed before seeding occurs.”
There are two basins at the east end of the set.
A 100-foot setback fence will be placed toward the north edge. “No portion of the facility is within 100 feet of the shared lot line,” said Las. “We know that there were power outages (Monday) just from the wind… If this project is approved, there are three-phase (electrical) upgrades… that would provide extra reliability to the residents in town.”
Johnson expressed hope that the engineering report will be ready for the April 28 meeting of the Planning Board.
In other news, the town’s flood-plain amendment has become tricky. As Johnson said, “Right now we can’t really put it on the docket yet because we have to make sure 65 days don’t elapse between the amendment and the town meeting.”
No one knows right now when town meeting will occur, but Blair Bailey said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), regardless of the current state of affairs, will not alter its deadline after which everyone in town covered by flood insurance would lose coverage. Bailey said he would get the actual bylaw to the Planning Board in time for its next meeting.
In other business, the Planning Board approved a decision for repurposed properties at The Village on Rounseville Road across from town hall, and also discussed logistics around a partial town meeting and elections and the signing of documents.
The next meeting of the Rochester Planning Board is set for April 28 via remote access.
roplanRochester Planning Board
By Mick Colageo