Solar array project at 370 County Road reapplies for approval with several new changes
The 60 acre property at 370 County Road outlined in black with the location of the solar array marked by the word Locus. Source: Wareham Planning Board
The 60 acre property at 370 County Road outlined in black with the location of the solar array marked by the word Locus. Source: Wareham Planning Board
A ground mounted solar array could introduce 2,700 solar panels to 370 County Road but this isn’t the first time a solar project has been proposed there.
In October of 2024, the Planning Board denied an application for an approximately 10 acre solar farm at 370 County Road and the developers are reapplying with several changes from the original application.
The new proposal was presented at the Monday, Dec. 8 Planning Board meeting and a representative for the owners of the property, Eric Crisler, presented the major changes from the new proposal compared to the old.
According to Director of Planning and Community Development Josh Faherty, the Planning Board denied the original application largely due to the size of the project. The reapplication however significantly decreases the number of solar panels on the 60 acre property to 2,700 compared to the previous 5,767.
“What’s important is the array is really a small part of the property — the array is 8% of the property,” Crisler said.
He added that the owners would also look to make most of the remaining land a conservation area.
“My primary goal is to keep this property in a conserved manner,” property owner Patricia Harju-Zimmer said. “I don’t want to see houses across 60 acres. I’m in negotiations with Mass Audubon to create a bird sanctuary.”
Other changes include using solar panels that don’t produce any PFAS, a class of synthetic chemicals used to make some solar panels and have several adverse health effects, no onsite battery storage and using a smaller “inverter.”
An inverter converts the energy generated by solar panels into usable electricity. One of the main issues with the original application was the use of large, loud inverters that sat on concrete slabs.
The new proposal includes using smaller, quieter inverters directly attached to the solar panels.
While residents in attendance were glad to see several changes made when compared to the original proposal, some concerns were still raised.
The main concerns raised were in regards to the safety of the solar panels, even if they do not produce any PFAS, and the impact solar arrays and the fencing surrounding them have on wildlife.
“Fencing helps some animals and doesn’t help others,” resident Eric Lintala said. “I’ve seen animals like foxes go around them and I think going into that kind of environment kind of freaks them out a little bit.”
The project is still a proposal and has not received any approval from the Planning Board.
