BELCHERTOWN — Residents worried about a number of proposed solar arrays in town are bringing their concerns to a Special Town Meeting later this month in hopes of stopping two major solar array projects along Gulf Road.
The three articles listed on the Aug. 20 Special Town Meeting warrant were initiated by a petition with 269 signatures circulated by the Belchertown Citizens for Responsible Land Use. The first article calls for the reversal of the last Town Meeting vote to allow the town to enter negotiations for a “payment in lieu of tax,” or PILOT agreement with Syncarpha Community Solar.
“Current law doesn’t support the taxation of these projects,” Select Board chairman Nicholas O’Connor said. “By the town agreeing to a PILOT, it takes many uncertainties out of the equation and allows for a steady and predictable income stream for the both parties.”
Two more articles call for changes to the town’s solar zoning bylaws. The first seeks to limit any clear-cutting for solar arrays to four acres, and the second would establish a minimum distance between commercial solar arrays. Each of the Syncarpha and BlueWave projects, both located near the intersection of Gulf Road and North Street, would cover about 50 acres of land and require a portion of that land to be clear-cut.
“This is a lot of clear cutting,” O’Connor said. “Are we really accomplishing anything if it takes away that many trees? That’s a valid argument.”
Cinda Jones, president of Cowls Inc., whose family owns the land to be leased to the solar companies, said the proposed bylaw changes are not only counter productive, but illegal. She cites Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40A, Section 3 that states, “No zoning ordinance or bylaw shall prohibit or unreasonably regulate solar energy systems except where necessary to protect public health, safety, or welfare.”
“Some folks are upset that the area where they’ve enjoyed hunting and hiking will change,” Jones said. “That’s true and regrettable, but necessary.”
Three years ago, Belchertown residents faced a similar issue when residents opposed the building of a Verizon cell phone tower on private property. The town lost the case in federal court, and the tower was built.
Town Meeting does not have the authority to change solar zoning bylaws, which would require a lengthy process involving a Planning Board public hearing and approval from the Attorney General’s office. Even if the zoning bylaws were to change, they would have no effect on the projects already underway, according to Town Planner Douglas Albertson
“You can’t change the rules after the hand has been dealt, so to speak,” Altertson said.
Donald Carden, a Belchertown resident, attorney and member of the Citizens for Responsible Land Use, helped author the warrant articles. He said that nothing in the town’s current solar zoning bylaws limits a company’s ability to clear-cut trees, or for projects to be located in close proximity to each other. He thinks that should change.
“A forest is not the best place to put solar panels,” Carden said. “We all see the benefits of solar and want to encourage solar but it seems like it would be appropriate for the town to consider rules that would encourage the spreading out of these solar fields.”
Solar zoning bylaws in Belchertown were adopted in 2012, long before the “solar explosion” spurred by the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target Program, or SMART, signed by Governor Charlie Baker in April 2016, Carden said.
“Everyone is kind of rushing to take advantage of this program to the max extent they can, which has created sort of a gold rush effect,” Carden said.
Belchertown currently has six proposed solar array projects, including a large-scale installation by Borregos Solar on privately owned land at 400 Franklin St., and another on a landfill. Three already in operation include a 5.1-megawatt project on Route 181, a 1.5-megawatt array at the former Evergreen Golf Center and a 1.2-megawatt array on Springfield Street. According to O’Connor, the town will net about $3 million in revenue over the next 20 years on the existing solar arrays.
If the new proposed solar projects are realized, and negotiated at $13,400 per megawatt like prior projects, Belchertown would be in a position to earn a total of $4.8 million over 20 years from all the town’s solar arrays, he said.
Because the solar array is a private project proposed on private land, the town can do little to stop it. However, the projects still need approval from the Planning Board, Conservation Commission and Board of Health.
Belchertown’s conservation administrator, Erica Cross, said the commission has received an application from BlueWave Solar, but not Syncarpha. The commission is tasked with ensuring any proposed projects comply with the state Wetlands Protection Act and the town’s wetlands bylaws.
“I know people are very concerned about the general changes in the character of the Town and preserving a view shed,” she said. “Unfortunately, my commission doesn’t consider that.”
Jones said the proposed solar installations are sited away from environmentally sensitive areas and in close proximity to three phase power interconnections and substations. She added that the arrays will prevent residential development of the parcels of land for years to come.
“State and local environmental agencies have a rigorous approval process that ensures natural resource and species protection,” Jones said. “Adverse impacts are minimized by raised fences for small animal passage and meadow plantings under the screw-mounted solar panels.”
Rayo Bhumgara is a solar development partner with Syncarpha Solar who helps connect companies with project origination, construction and investment of solar projects.
Bhumgara said that, on average, one acre of forest each year offsets 30,340 pounds of carbon dioxide, while an acre of solar far offsets 256,230 pounds.
“We are sensitive to the concerns of the direct abutters and will try to do everything reasonably possible to minimize visual impacts,” Bhumgara said.
On Aug. 14, the Planning Board will host a public hearing on the BlueWave and Borrega plans at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall. On Aug. 20, the special Town Meeting will convene at 7 at the high school.
Sarah Robertson can be reached at srobertson@gazettenet.com.