Rochester Planning Board Chairman Arnold Johnson was by turns indulgent and rebuking of the overflow crowd at the Rochester Town Hall Tuesday evening as he steered the board through the public hearings of two contentious projects proposed in town.
The first was a continued public hearing regarding the large-scale solar photovoltaic installation Special Permit application for a solar farm on Rounseville and Mendell Roads.
The applicant’s representative Steve Long presented updates to the standing room only crowd regarding the Electromagnetic Field (EMF) study, which suggested that the low levels outside the fence were insignificant and would not affect neighbors.
The 13-acre site would be cleared of vegetation, and residents expressed concern regarding the scenic quality of the existing trees on the site and along the roadway.
Long described to the board that the location of the solar panels was chosen to avoid any impact on the riverfront area of Doggett’s Brook, and saving trees along the road, he said, “…doesn’t save anything valuable.” Residents disagreed, stating that what’s valuable was saving the forest.
This tone continued throughout the discussion, with residents and Planning Board members taking aim at the project, but with board members expressing frustration with the state and its policy that favors solar farms.
Board member Ben Bailey pointed out that the legislature supports green energy sources, and as much as he doesn’t like the solar fields in town, he stated “[The state] suspended towns’ zoning regulations and made solar farms an exempted industrial use.”
Johnson asked for a show of hands of how many of those present attended the last Town Meeting. It was a poor showing, and Johnson said he was embarrassed that with 4,000 registered voters in town, that the quorum number was lowered from 100 to 75 at Town Meeting.
One resident said, “We are a small town; we’ve done our share,” and vowed to contact the State House to try to address the number of solar projects in town.
Another impassioned resident noted that the bylaw stated the board could take neighborhood character and social structure into account when siting a solar project.
Board member John DeMaggio briefly touched on this issue, saying that the wording was intentionally vague to give the board regulatory wiggle room.
The hearing was continued to Monday, August 7.
While many residents left at the close of the previous hearing, the room remained full to capacity as Johnson opened the public hearing for a Site Plan Review for a proposed farmer’s market in a 60-acre field on Route 105.
Bill Madden of G.A.F. Engineering, accompanied by applicant Craig Canning, presented the site plan, which includes two Morton style buildings 60 feet by 120 feet in size. The buildings and parking area would be located on 3.9 acres directly adjacent to Marion Road. The remaining acreage will continue to be used for cropland.
Canning noted that the location of the entrance to the site shown on the plan had been adjusted approximately 25 feet to the west to accommodate a neighbor’s concerns about its proximity to her driveway. The front building would be used for retail space, while processing, sorting, and cleaning produce would occur in the rear building, among other activities supporting the business of the retail space.
There are 50 parking spaces proposed, including handicapped spaces. The site is serviced by town water from Marion and will have its own septic system. There is a proposed seating area on the west side of the building, and a grassy area near the road for display of seasonal products such as mums, Christmas trees, and pumpkins. The road into the site and around the building will be paved, but the parking area will predominantly be gravel surfaced.
Madden noted that the applicant is seeking a waiver from the stormwater regulations, since the runoff can all be infiltrated on-site. There is minimal proposed lighting, except for the sign near the road and wall sconces on the building.
Canning informed the neighbors that truck traffic will be restricted to the early morning hours with fertilizer deliveries and trucks hauling produce from the farm. Residents of the nearby Hathaway Pond Circle expressed considerable concern about traffic and the potential for an increase in accidents. Johnson stated that the police chief had reviewed the site and was satisfied with the site lines for the entrance.
There was also a suggestion that Canning place the parking in the rear of the building to retain the “agricultural ambiance” of the area, to which Canning replied that the site was designed to maximize the use of the entire property and he did not think he could effectively use the site in any other configuration.
Madden noted that they will be requesting a variance for a commercial use in order to sell sandwiches and other items not produced on the farm. One resident reminded the crowd that there was a failed attempt to conserve this field, saying, “We all know what could have happened at this property. It was very gratifying to see [Canning’s] teenage son out there on the tractor on Sunday…. We will all benefit from this.”
The public hearing was continued to Tuesday, July 25.
The next meeting of the Rochester Planning Board is scheduled for July 25 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.
By Sarah French Storer