Some solar projects take a lot longer to complete than others. Rochester’s Conservation Commission on November 21 approved a request to extend the Order of Conditions for the Featherbed Lane South Solar project at 0 Featherbed Lane for three years, until February of 2027.
Appearing before the board on Zoom, the petitioner’s engineering consultant, Carolyn Booth, explained the developer is working on acquiring funding for required upgrades to the parcel’s infrastructure, and that is why they need that much time to complete the Order of Conditions the ConCom has imposed on the project. With little discussion, the board approved what will be an extension until February 4, 2027.
In March, the project developers told the Planning Board that Eversource has given them three years to complete the upgrades necessary to accept the additional power expected to be generated by the solar installation.
The commission then approved a Certificate of Compliance for the construction of a single-family home with sewerage disposal system, utilities, site clearing and grading at 8 Gerrish Road close to a wetland bog.
No one representing the petitioners was present at the meeting, in which commission member Ben Bailey added the condition that the property owners, Jesper and Jennifer Ingerslev, keep the lawn in front of the bog properly mowed under an ongoing Order of Conditions. The board agreed to add this condition and will respond if the Ingerslevs object to it.
Next, the board continued two hearings in response to the petitioners’ requests to do so until January 16. One is for a Notice of Intent to build a 15-acre, self-storage facility at Kings Highway and Route 28 that will feature the construction of seven self-storage buildings located within the 100-foot wetlands buffer zone.
The other is BWC Snows Pond LLC’s Notice of Intent plan to build a solar array on 12.55 acres of a 31-acre parcel at 0 Cushman Road. Both petitioners requested a continuance until December 19. The commission, however, reasoned it may not meet on that date.
The Rochester Conservation Commission scheduled its next meeting for Tuesday, December 5, at 7:00 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.
Rochester’s Conservation Commission
By Michael J. DeCicco