What had been an arduous quest measuring progress in nickels and dimes has rather suddenly became reality for the Town of Marion, as member Bill Saltonstall reported to the Energy Management Committee on Monday night that the town has surpassed the state-prescribed goal of 20% in energy reduction.

            “It sets us up for a somewhat more generous consideration for our requests for grant monies from Green Communities. … We couldn’t do it in a five-year period but appear to be there in the sixth year,” said Saltonstall, who traced the progress to approximately 24% reduction to the installation of heat pumps that replaced oil-burning furnaces in three municipal buildings this year.

            Supply-chain problems blamed on the COVID-19 pandemic had delayed the delivery of those appliances in prior years.

            “A lot of towns started the very first year of Green Communities (2008) and have yet to reach their 20%,” said EMC member Alanna Nelson.

            The statewide initiative offers grant funding that incentivizes towns to upgrade municipal buildings, facilities and infrastructure primarily by going electric in lieu of fossil fuels.

            Prior to this sixth-year rally in energy savings, Marion had plateaued at approximately 18% reduction. Saltonstall was the point person for research that, for instance, led to an upgrade in Marion’s streetlights to LED bulbs and a 49% cost savings. Overall, the town has cut its kilowatt-hour electricity consumption roughly in half, from 109,387 kWh when it joined Green Communities in 2017 to 55,514 kWh in 2023.

            Saltonstall reported that Marion has reduced energy use in its municipal buildings by 29% and in open-space areas by 3%. Savings on electric vehicles reduced the amount of gasoline and diesel consumption by 29%. Water and sewer pump stations reduced energy consumption by 9%.

            The EMC voted to distribute Saltonstall’s worksheet to the attending reporters at Monday’s public meeting at the Police Station.

            Saltonstall was also happy to report that a Zoom meeting with EMC member Jennifer Francis, Town Administrator Geoff Gorman and the company PowerOptions yielded new information that with verification, “may make it easier for solar projects.”

            Pending corroboration from Town Counsel, it seems the net-metering calculations that have held Marion back fall under a different program and do not need to be tallied up in the way the EMC had been. “We have a lot of questions about that, but it’s going to free us up to do a lot of projects in solar,” said Saltonstall.

            Similarly, EMC member Tom Friedman has been corresponding with Green Skies Energy, a company that does municipal projects. Friedman was given the go-ahead to send Green Skies Energy Marion’s three proposed solar locations.

            Likewise, the EMC determined by meeting’s end that it needs to decide which municipal building to target and recommend to Gorman that the town pursue it for a solar project.

            “I think we have to do it in writing and start the ball rolling,” said Saltonstall, who will work with fellow Nelson and Francis on a draft letter to bring back to the committee’s next public meeting for approval.

            As a parking-lot canopy, the Cushing Community Center is recognized as a relatively large solar project on the committee’s wish list, while the Police Station (roof panels) is considered the smallest.

            “I don’t want to stuff this down their throat if they’re not interested. These canopies are high, the low point would permit trucks 14 or 15 feet high to drive through. They’re low structures,” said Saltonstall.

            Citing the needs for the aged to avoid direct sunlight, especially for sustained periods of time, EMC member Eileen Marum recommended a solar canopy at Cushing. “Seniors participating in activities would be protected from the elements,” said Marum. “I think there are more advantages than disadvantages. … It keeps the place cooler.”

            Saltonstall noted that the deteriorating parking lot outside the Cushing Community Center requires major renovation that could delay a solar-canopy construction for years.

            The EMC is looking for a definitive conclusion to its efforts to put a solar project atop the landfill at the Benson Brook Transfer Station.

            Nelson told the committee there will be a meeting next week with the Cape & Vineyard Electric Cooperative (CVEC.) Nelson said, if negotiations with the currently interested developer fall apart, the project would go back out to bid. “It would be good to expedite that decision,” said Saltonstall. Nelson said she will tell CVEC that the EMC wants an expedient solution.

            EMC Chairman Christian Ingerslev said that if the project is considered a problem, the committee should not throw out the idea but rather formulate a new proposal.

            The EMC is researching solar scenarios at Sippican Elementary School and the proposed Harbormaster Department headquarters at Island Wharf, but Saltonstall’s latest look at the Marine Center plans left him pessimistic about a roof-solar project. He said he saw nothing in the plans about heating, air conditioning or solar.

            “I just say we scrap that whole building and put a trailer there. When we get a hurricane, pull the trailer out,” said Marum.

            The Marine Center plans call for renovation of the existing, grade-level bathrooms, but Saltonstall likes the idea of replacing the permanent structures with a portable system.

            The next meeting of the Marion Energy Management Committee is scheduled for Monday, September 25, at 6:00 pm at the Police Station.

Marion Energy Management Committee

By Mick Colageo

            The Marion Zoning Board of Appeals was duly impressed with the proposal for a new house in place of an old one on Planting Island and voted unanimously during its August 24 meeting to grant Elizabeth and Christopher Karvonen a Special Permit under Chapter 230-6.1c1 and 230-6.1c1a to demolish and reconstruct a residence at 56 East Avenue. The property is zoned Residence C.

            ZBA members Chairperson Cynthia Callow, Will Tifft, Danielle Engwert, Dana Nilson and alternate member Joan Gardner established a five-member quorum for the meeting.

            Representing the Karvonens, architect Will Saltonstall explained existing nonconformities on two setbacks, the front setback facing East Avenue and the side setback to the southerly abutter. Saltonstall asserted that the new house will not be any more detrimental to the neighborhood than the one it would replace.

            The first variance would extend an existing, nonconforming condition. The original house was within 14.1 feet of the street, and the proposal is for a 15.8-foot setback. The existing garage is 12.8 feet from the lot line, and Saltonstall proposed the garage would sit 13.8 feet from the same line. He noted that the roof overhang is calculated in those measurements, as required by the bylaw.

            Saltonstall explained that the applicants bought the house in 2014 and had used it as a summer home but are now planning to live there full time. As a result, the Karvonen’s propose razing the existing, three-bedroom house and building a larger, three-bedroom house with a detached garage.

            “They hired us to explore expanding the existing dwelling, which is kind of a modest cottage, and after a pretty rigorous exploration of that, we decided in the end that the structure didn’t merit that kind of investment,” said Saltonstall, whose mission was redirected toward designing a replacement home.

            Saltonstall said the new house will have two floors but has been designed with cross gables so as not to be as imposing as some other new houses recently constructed on Planting Island.

            The other variance would allow the proposed increase in height of greater than 10% of the original house (18.4 feet.) The new house would be 29 feet high, a 37% increase in height.

            “But again, that’s not a big box that’s that high,” said Saltonstall. “At the highest point, the structure’s there, but again, we’ve worked hard to be considerate of scale and proportion of the … proposed house. … I think it’s going to be very consistent with the streetscape on either side.”

            The Karvonen’s also own the abutting lot to the west and according to Saltonstall, have reached out to all of their abutters but without a lot of specific responses.

            The property, he said, “kisses the edge of the flood zone but it’s actually a high lot for Planting Island, so it’s … actually not in the coastal flood zone, it just kisses the edge of the ‘A’ zone.”

            The lot is connected to a Title 5 septic system that Saltonstall said is intended for continued use (Marion has a bylaw requiring a septic upgrade to include denitrification technology in all new constructions that is vetted by the Board of Health.)

            Two abutters indicated concern regarding the tree line that could be impacted, but both applauded the design’s effort to reflect favorably on the neighborhood.

            Callow said she has received several calls regarding the emerging concerns regarding short-term rentals, including Air BnB’s and suggested that the ZBA should be knowledgeable on the subject.

            The Planning Board is currently formulating a draft for a new bylaw to address recent complaints among residents. According to Tifft, the town raises taxes by 5% for leases under 30 days.

            The ZBA heard from Jeff Doubrava, who indicated interest in joining the ZBA as an alternate member. Callow acknowledged having worked with Doubrava when she was a member of the Conservation Commission, on which Doubrava still serves.

            A chemical consultant for the past 20 years, Doubrava told the ZBA he is partially retired and will fully retire next year. He plans on living in Marion full-time for the rest of his life. He also serves as chairman of the Community Preservation Committee.

            The ZBA agreed to recommend Doubrava to the Select Board for alternate membership.

            Pending more information, the ZBA offered no comment to the Planning Board on two matters: the site-plan application at 1 Island Wharf and regarding a special-permit request at 0 Luce Avenue.

            Without scheduled cases, the ZBA did not set its next public meeting.

Marion Zoning Board of AppealsBy Mick Colageo