The October 26 meeting of the Rochester Planning Board included a short reopening of the public hearing for a solar facility planned by Renewable Energy Development Partners, LLC, at 109 Neck Road. The project will feature a ground-mounted array as well as a newer solar construction concept, the placement of panels over cranberry bog canals.
The development team headed by Hank Ouimett and members of the consulting firm Beals and Thomas discussed with board members Arnold Johnson (chairman), Mike Murphy, Marc Rousseau, and John DeMaggio remaining critical elements of the project such as screening and construction performance practices.
It was confirmed that a professional forester will be engaged to assist with tree removal, and that a vegetated earthen berm will stand 12 feet high. It was also confirmed by Ouimett that the fire department has approved the planned roadway and pervious materials that will be used on the roadway surface.
Johnson returned several times to documents before him, making suggestions to existing language in the site materials, changes that he believes are necessary. “I want to take all the vagueness out of this, so everyone knows what’s expected,” he said.
The hearing was continued to the board’s November 9 meeting.
The board took up the closing out of reviews for the Eldredge Bogs matter and then met briefly with Brian Wallace, project manager for the Village at Plumb Corner.
Johnson explained to the board that Eversource only installs new gas services on Saturday, causing Wallace to come before the board and ask for an amendment to their condition that work not take place on weekends. To expedite the matter, the board voted to give Johnson sole responsibility when granting how many Saturdays the utility will be allowed to work. All agreed to the necessity for the amendment.
Town Planner Nancy Durfee reported on her site visit to Zero Waste. She explained that, due to a lack of container trucks and drivers, a national transportation problem that has developed as a direct result of COVID-19, waste materials are building up at the recycling facility. Johnson said the business site was still an open project for the board, but that until movement of materials can be resolved, the board cannot move towards closing out the project.
The next meeting of the Rochester Planning Board is scheduled for Tuesday, November 9, at 7:00 pm.
Rochester Planning Board
By Marilou Newell