[Massplanners] MassPlanners Digest, Vol 10, Issue 43

Wed Feb 23 15:38:16 EST 2022

Doug,

Fairhaven’s *Solar photovoltaic energy facilities (SPEF - § 198-29.6)
<https://ecode360.com/27497660?highlight=clear,clearing&searchId=5703265204111953#27497660>
*bylaw was adopted and approved by the Attorney General in 2013. Under
section § 198-29.6.G(8) it states “Clear cutting of trees and natural
vegetation, within five years, shall be prohibited for the construction,
operation and maintenance of the solar photovoltaic facility”. See General
Code link below for the Fairhaven SPEF bylaw. In my opinion cutting trees
to install solar farms should be illegal statewide and nationally. Solar
farms do not create habitat or oxygen, conserve and filter water, prevent
erosion, store carbon or perform any of the other natural processes and
benefits that trees, woods and forests do. Putting solar panels on
buildings and parking lots is economic development. Putting solar panels in
what used to be woods and farms is greed. It’s cheaper and easier, so that
is what they do. The laws and incentives need to change to make solar
energy environmentally beneficial rather than environmentally hypocritical.

https://ecode360.com/27497660?highlight=clear,clearing&searchId=5703265204111953

Paul

Paul H. Foley, AICP
Director of Planning & Economic Development
Fairhaven, Massachusetts

Town Hall, 40 Center Street
(508) 979-4082  EXT. 122

On Wed, Feb 23, 2022 at 12:52 PM <massplanners-request at masscptc.org> wrote:

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> Today's Topics:
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>    1. Solar Bylaw - prohibition against large-scale cutting /
>       clearing (Town Administration)
>    2. Re: Solar Bylaw - prohibition against large-scale cutting /
>       clearing (Heidi Ricci)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2022 17:41:27 +0000
> From: Town Administration <Administration at westhamptonma.org>
> To: Christopher Skelly via MassPlanners <massplanners at masscptc.org>
> Subject: [Massplanners] Solar Bylaw - prohibition against large-scale
>         cutting / clearing
> Message-ID:
>         <
> BN8PR12MB3457CEFEE1D82DF6F204BB17D83C9 at BN8PR12MB3457.namprd12.prod.outlook.com
> >
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Good afternoon, planners!
>
> Westhampton is looking to harden its solar energy bylaw to prohibit
> strip-cutting of large areas of land in order to facilitate large-scale
> solar.  While solar is STRONGLY encouraged on roofs, over parking lots, and
> etc, we don't want swaths of panels replacing our pines.
>
> Has anyone implemented zoning bylaw that addresses this?  Have you had
> such successfully approved by the AG?
>
> Respectfully,
>
> - Doug.
> -----------------------------
> Douglas Finn, Administrative Assistant
> Town of Westhampton
> 1 South Road
> Westhampton, MA 01027
> 413-203-3086
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> Message: 2
> Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2022 17:51:20 +0000
> From: Heidi Ricci <hricci at massaudubon.org>
> To: "massplanners at masscptc.org" <massplanners at masscptc.org>
> Subject: Re: [Massplanners] Solar Bylaw - prohibition against
>         large-scale cutting / clearing
> Message-ID:
>         <
> BL0PR02MB46902106BAD020C1334396C9DE3C9 at BL0PR02MB4690.namprd02.prod.outlook.com
> >
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Hi Doug
>
> Here is a good resource:
>
> https://ag.umass.edu/clean-energy/resources/solar-pv/solar-resources-for-municipalities
>
> There is a case pending before the SJC right now that will determine the
> extent to which communities can regulate solar.
>
> SJC-13195
> Tracer Lane II Realty, LLC vs. City of Waltham & another
> Where G. L. c. 40A, ? 3, ninth par., precludes zoning ordinances or
> by-laws that "prohibit or unreasonably regulate the installation of solar
> energy systems" (except to protect public health, safety or welfare),
> whether allowing solar energy facilities in certain areas of a municipality
> but prohibiting them in other areas is permissible or whether it
> constitutes unreasonable regulation in contravention of the statute
> Enter the Docket # SJC-13195 here
> https://www.ma-appellatecourts.org/
> and you can see all the documents, including amicus briefs from the AG and
> several municipalities.
>
> The hearing is on March 7th.
>
> Heidi
>
> E. Heidi Ricci
> Director of Policy and Advocacy
> Mass Audubon
> 208 South Great Road
> Lincoln, MA  01773
> c 781-622-8911
> o 781-259-2172
> hricci at massaudubon.org<mailto:hricci at massaudubon.org>
> Pronouns: she/her(s)
>
> Visit www.massaudubon.org<http://www.massaudubon.org/> to learn more
> about our conservation, education, and advocacy work.
>
> [cid:image001.png at 01D828B4.0CC570C0]
>
>
>
> From: MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org> On Behalf Of Town
> Administration via MassPlanners
> Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2022 12:41 PM
> To: Christopher Skelly via MassPlanners <massplanners at masscptc.org>
> Subject: [Massplanners] Solar Bylaw - prohibition against large-scale
> cutting / clearing
>
> Good afternoon, planners!
>
> Westhampton is looking to harden its solar energy bylaw to prohibit
> strip-cutting of large areas of land in order to facilitate large-scale
> solar.  While solar is STRONGLY encouraged on roofs, over parking lots, and
> etc, we don't want swaths of panels replacing our pines.
>
> Has anyone implemented zoning bylaw that addresses this?  Have you had
> such successfully approved by the AG?
>
> Respectfully,
>
> - Doug.
> -----------------------------
> Douglas Finn, Administrative Assistant
> Town of Westhampton
> 1 South Road
> Westhampton, MA 01027
> 413-203-3086
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> End of MassPlanners Digest, Vol 10, Issue 43
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