The Rochester Planning Board tested a new meeting format on July 14 with some participants located at the Rochester Memorial School and other members joining using the Zoom platform. Confusion surrounding voting procedure with the new format was quickly sorted out, and the board moved to address their public hearings.
Eric Las of Beals and Thomas Engineering spoke about the updated plans for the construction of a solar array on Featherbed Lane, continued from a meeting held June 23. The amended plans came after an independent review of the project was provided by Field Engineering.
Las explained that the updated plans feature improvements to stormwater and landscape maintenance plans. The improvements guarantee that all water will flow away from Featherbed Lane and into the site where systems are in place to effectively contain the stormwater. In addition, a bond amounting to $5,800 will be created in order to cover the costs of maintenance and landscaping related to the site.
The maintenance will include selective trimming of trees to provide room for trucks driving along the access road to the site, and it will cover the cost of 10 proposed tree plantings to supplement the tree clearing that will be required to widen the entrance to the site. These additions were included after Field Engineering requested that a gravel access bench be included in the site plans in order to allow for proper vehicular access to the solar array.
Las further explained that specific necessities of the project would require waivers from the board if the project could have any hope of moving forward. Primarily, the road to the solar site would need to be 12 feet wide in order to provide enough room for heavy equipment, exceeding the regulation calling for roads of that kind to measure a maximum of 10 feet wide.
The Planning Board voted to waive the regulations and allow for progress on the site to continue, noting that Las had made the necessary changes according to their peer review.
Las also represented another solar project located to the south of Featherbed Lane. The proposal calls for the construction of a solar site that would cover a total of 24 acres and produce roughly six megawatts of solar energy. The project dates back to March 10, and the enormity of the proposal has delayed the application process.
Addressing concerns from abutting properties, Las made it clear that the construction of the array was set back far enough from Featherbed Lane to avoid view from the road. He also explained that the site would be accessed by an existing cart path, which would drastically minimize the amount of work and impact needed to finish the project.
The board expressed caution. The proposal would require a total disturbance of 24 acres. Moreover, there are protected wetlands to the south and east of the property that would require a Notice of Intent filing with the Rochester Conservation Commission for permission to work in the buffer zone if the proposal were to continue.
Las quickly quelled concerns by revealing that the majority of the work that needed to be done would be conducted in a large open area where minimal clearing would be required. Las, having worked extensively with Field Engineering, told the board that he is aware of the concerns put forth by the town and included many precautionary measures in the proposal such as tree plantings, significant setbacks from neighboring properties, and an angled entrance way, all to limit view of the solar site.
Desiring more information than could be provided by plans and drawings, the board agreed that a visit to the proposed site and a peer review by Field Engineering is in order. The Rochester Planning Board voted to continue this hearing until July 28.
The final order of business pertained to the construction of another solar array located on Snipatuit Road. The proposed site, to the east of the roadway, is somewhat novel in that it uses an existing access road that would bisect the site by running directly through it.
Las, who also represented this site, explained that the proposal was off to a great start. The closest point of the site is over 1,000 feet away from Snipatuit Road, meaning that impact to abutting properties would be minimal.
In terms of surrounding wetland areas, Las explained that the plans use the wetlands as guidelines for where the project will fall. The proposed site is oddly shaped in order to prevent any point of the site from falling into a protected wetlands area. That consideration paid off for Las, and the wetland boundaries have already been approved by the Rochester Conservation Commission.
Vice Chairman Gary Florindo expressed concerns relating to the existing access that would be used. “My concern would be truck traffic to the site,” said Florindo. “You will have a good deal of tree cutting to do.”
“At this point, we are expecting to have to make relatively minor upgrades to the roads,” Las explained. “Given that there have already been trucks in here in the past, we are not anticipating issues for them coming into the site.”
Residents expressed concerns about an existing walking path and horse trail that runs parallel to the proposed site. The path is used by community members and many expressed concerns that the proposed plans did not account for the exiting trail.
Las assured community members that the project planners were aware of the trail and that it would not be impacted by the new site. Las shared his computer screen via the Zoom app to demonstrate where the trail is located in relation to the site and to show that specific measures are taking place to ensure its continued existence.
The Rochester Planning Board voted to continue the hearing until their next meeting on July 28. The next Rochester Planning Board meeting will be a hybrid meeting with in-person participation taking place at the Rochester Memorial School and virtual participation taking place via the Zoom platform.
Rochester Planning Board
By Matthew Donato