Marion Planning Board member Jen Francis on June 6 was happy to announce a new initiative she has devised.
“The idea is to increase our access to community and the community’s access to us,” Francis said. “If the board agrees, I’d like to add 15 minutes to the Planning Board agenda in which anyone can show up without prior notification and ask questions, raise concerns, or anything else,” she explained. “It will be on a trial basis, and if nobody shows up, then we can just move on to the rest of the agenda. But it’s a dedicated slot to allow us to communicate with town residents.”
The board resoundingly agreed to implement Francis’ idea.
“Thank you for that, Jen,” Chairman Robert Lane said, “I think that’s really a great idea.”
Scrutiny soon arose from the board regarding the Clean Energy Collective solar farm located off Tucker Lane. A tree-clearing crew had overcut several plants and trees in front of the Tucker Lane location.
Board member Michael Popitz said, “Tucker Lane occupants are afraid of a loss of value on their homes and a loss of enjoyment of their property. I see it as our duty to make sure those are protected.” He continued, “I’ve gone to the site many times. I’ve spoken to the inhabitants. One-hundred percent of the people I spoke to were extremely upset; they don’t want to see a scar left from the overcutting. I feel personally responsible, and I want to make sure nobody is affected by the solar farm.” Popitz said it should be easy and inexpensive to fix, “and to my eyes it hasn’t been done yet.”
Eric Aubrey of M+W Group, the solar farm contractor, stepped in to explain what had happened on Tucker Lane.
“The tree contractors moved early to Tucker Lane, and they went ahead to remove trees before we met with Marion’s Conservation Commission,” said Aubrey. “We’ve since replaced the trees and brush. There are thirty-two bushes and also a few trees in place. We want to work with the town,” he said, “but what we took down wouldn’t have screened the solar farm from view anyway.”
Planning Board member Steve Gonsalves seemed slightly incredulous.
“I know it was a mistake,” Gonsalves said, “but the plantings are thirty-two plants in a big area. It doesn’t look like anything was done, and that’s what the people are feeling. It would’ve made a difference to plant larger things. I know you’re making an effort, but the perceived effort is not there.”
Francis took a different tack.
“The property could’ve been a building, it would’ve been a lot uglier,” she stated. “That wouldn’t have required visual screening at all. There’s a paranoia about solar farms from people unfamiliar with them, when it could be so much worse.”
Gonsalves disagreed.
“It’s not a paranoia,” said Gonsalves. “It’s people living there not liking what they see.”
Steve Kokkins added, “The aim isn’t to restore the nature, because it wouldn’t provide screening. The intent is to provide actual screening, and the timeframe should be reasonably short, as in a few months, and should be kept in mind in the plans.”
Will Saltonstall summed up the board’s stance, saying, “We don’t need to go overboard, but the re-planting effort was undersized.”
The board requested detailed elevation and aerial plans of the re-planting and screening effort, as well as a maintenance schedule and an estimate on when plant screening will actually be achieved by natural growth, by the next meeting of the Planning Board.
The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board will be held on Monday, June 20 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.
By Jean Perry