Planning Board unable to block solar applicants

The Planning Board was unable to block eight solar projects’ requests for preliminary subdivision plans at their May 25 meeting.

All of the applicants were requesting approval of preliminary subdivision plans that would grandfather them in if the citizens petition article restricting solar fields is passed at the June 12 Town Meeting.

The article would restrict any new solar fields to being between three and ten acres in size and on land that has been cleared for at least five years.

Town Counsel Richard Bowen said that the board had no ability to deny preliminary subdivision plans that had been correctly filed with the town.

Once a preliminary subdivision plan has been approved by the Planning Board, the applicant has seven months to file a definitive plan. After that is approved, the project is protected from zoning changes for eight years. 

The solar farms receiving approval of preliminary subdivision plans are: Rocky Maple Cranberry Co. on Off North Carver Road; LSE Tucana at 1-13 North Carver Rd.; Entero Energy LLC at 370 County Rd.; A.D. Makepeace Company at 0 Maple Springs, 27 Charge Pond Rd., 150 Tihonet Rd., and 140 Tihonet Rd.; and LSE Hydra LLC at 36, 44, and 48 North Carver Rd.