SHUTESBURY — There is still no resolution to a controversial 30-acre solar installation on what some say is a Native American burial ground after a heated three-hour meeting which included a call for a police officer after one outburst, as well as some members of the Mohawk tribe dressed in Native American garb to protest the project.
At the conclusion of Monday night’s meeting in Town Hall attended by some 30 people, the Planning Board and representatives of Lake Street Development decided to extend the town’s deadline to grant a special permit for the project.
The agreement to delay the decision until June 13 came after residents clashed with developers during debate over the special permit drafted by Planning Board member Jeff Lacy.
After one resident refused a request by the Planning Board to stop speaking because he was out of order, the police officer was called. She did not intervene, but remained present for the rest of the meeting.
Lake Street Development, of Chicago, proposes to build a 6-megawatt installation on land near Pratt Corner Road. The project would have 20 acres of solar arrays surrounded by a 10-acre clearing on all sides to allow the necessary sunlight.
Lake Street Development also is beginning construction on a solar project in Deerfield, according to its managing director, Zachary Schulman.
After nearly a year of public hearings and deliberation that began July 27, 2015, the Planning Board in Shutesbury is under pressure to make a decision.
The board is in a 90-day deliberation period set to end June 5. Because the board could not come to an agreement on a final draft of the special permit, members proposed an extension to meet again June 7 to finalize the conditions and submit the final draft by June 13. If the board does not come to a decision by that date, the permit would automatically be granted.
Project opponents say the developer is proposing to build on Native American burial grounds.
About 10 members of the Mohawk tribe and other supporters came dressed in Native American regalia to protest the project.
Miriam DeFant of Shutesbury, an opponent of the project, brought examples of federal and state legislation to bolster her case to make the permit more restrictive. She suggested the Planning Board include conditions in the permit to prevent the developer from moving forward if the site is proven to be a ceremonial site.
Town attorney Donna McNicol said the challenge is drafting conditions to the permit that are not too restrictive on the development.
As it stands, the proposed special permit would require the developer to hire an archaeologist to assess the site and report back to the board. Residents suggested the board hire a Tribal Historical Preservation Officer to assess the site to determine if it is a burial ground or other sacred place.
Lake Street Development is represented by attorney Michael Pill, a resident of Shutesbury since 1982. He accused those speaking against the solar installation of “smearing” his client’s project and playing a “dishonest, manipulative game” with the Planning Board.
“We’re getting smeared here,” he yelled.