EASTHAMPTON — The Williston Northampton School hopes to build a solar array that would take up 2½ acres of land off Park Street located near White Brook Middle School.
Williston hopes to have Pennsylvania-based Dynamic Energy build a 650-kilowatt solar array on a 5.19-acre parcel located at 198 Park St., next to the middle school’s driveway. The system would be contained inside a 6-foot high chain link fence and be constructed some 60 feet from Park Street.
The Planning Board will hold a public hearing Aug. 16 at 6 p.m. to consider Willistion’s special permit and setback waiver applications for the project.
A setback waiver is needed because city zoning rules call for solar projects to be located no closer than 50 feet from abutting property.
As planned, the project would be located 10 feet from the northern property line, 12 feet from the southern property line and 21 feet from the eastern property line.
The two private owners of abutting property have submitted letters of support for the project. The remaining abutting land is owned by the city.
The electricity produced by the array would be fed into the electrical grid, and Willistion would receive a credit and savings back from the utility, according to school spokeswoman Ann Hallock.
The solar installation would join others on the Williston campus on the roofs of the athletic center and Lossone Rink. If approved, the new array and the existing systems would allow the school to generate 40 percent of its electricity from the sun, Hallock said.
The plan also calls for the construction of an outdoor classroom and direct data feeds to allow the array to be used for math and science classes. Williston plans to make these resources available to its students as well as students at Easthampton public schools, according to Hallock.
If approved by the city, Williston hopes to begin construction this fall.
Chris Lindahl can be reached at clindahl@gazettenet.com