<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt">Doug,<b></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt">Fairhaven’s
<b><a href="https://ecode360.com/27497660?highlight=clear,clearing&searchId=5703265204111953#27497660" style="color:rgb(5,99,193)"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration-line:none">Solar
photovoltaic energy facilities (SPEF - § 198-29.6)</span></a> </b>bylaw<b> </b>was adopted and approved by
the Attorney General in 2013. Under section § 198-29.6.G(8) it states “Clear</span><span style="font-size:12pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> cutting of trees and natural vegetation, within five
years, shall be prohibited for the construction, operation and maintenance of
the solar photovoltaic facility”.</span> 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. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt"><a href="https://ecode360.com/27497660?highlight=clear,clearing&searchId=5703265204111953" style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">https://ecode360.com/27497660?highlight=clear,clearing&searchId=5703265204111953</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt">Paul</span></p></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></div><div><div dir="ltr" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr">Paul H. Foley, AICP<div>Director of Planning & Economic Development</div><div>Fairhaven, Massachusetts</div><div><br></div><div>Town Hall, 40 Center Street</div><div>(508) 979-4082 EXT. 122</div></div></div></div></div></div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Feb 23, 2022 at 12:52 PM <<a href="mailto:massplanners-request@masscptc.org" target="_blank">massplanners-request@masscptc.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">Send MassPlanners mailing list submissions to<br>
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Today's Topics:<br>
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1. Solar Bylaw - prohibition against large-scale cutting /<br>
clearing (Town Administration)<br>
2. Re: Solar Bylaw - prohibition against large-scale cutting /<br>
clearing (Heidi Ricci)<br>
<br>
<br>
----------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
Message: 1<br>
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2022 17:41:27 +0000<br>
From: Town Administration <<a href="mailto:Administration@westhamptonma.org" target="_blank">Administration@westhamptonma.org</a>><br>
To: Christopher Skelly via MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org" target="_blank">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>><br>
Subject: [Massplanners] Solar Bylaw - prohibition against large-scale<br>
cutting / clearing<br>
Message-ID:<br>
<<a href="mailto:BN8PR12MB3457CEFEE1D82DF6F204BB17D83C9@BN8PR12MB3457.namprd12.prod.outlook.com" target="_blank">BN8PR12MB3457CEFEE1D82DF6F204BB17D83C9@BN8PR12MB3457.namprd12.prod.outlook.com</a>><br>
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Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"<br>
<br>
Good afternoon, planners!<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
Has anyone implemented zoning bylaw that addresses this? Have you had such successfully approved by the AG?<br>
<br>
Respectfully,<br>
<br>
- Doug.<br>
-----------------------------<br>
Douglas Finn, Administrative Assistant<br>
Town of Westhampton<br>
1 South Road<br>
Westhampton, MA 01027<br>
413-203-3086<br>
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Message: 2<br>
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2022 17:51:20 +0000<br>
From: Heidi Ricci <<a href="mailto:hricci@massaudubon.org" target="_blank">hricci@massaudubon.org</a>><br>
To: "<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org" target="_blank">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>" <<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org" target="_blank">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>><br>
Subject: Re: [Massplanners] Solar Bylaw - prohibition against<br>
large-scale cutting / clearing<br>
Message-ID:<br>
<<a href="mailto:BL0PR02MB46902106BAD020C1334396C9DE3C9@BL0PR02MB4690.namprd02.prod.outlook.com" target="_blank">BL0PR02MB46902106BAD020C1334396C9DE3C9@BL0PR02MB4690.namprd02.prod.outlook.com</a>><br>
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<br>
Hi Doug<br>
<br>
Here is a good resource:<br>
<a href="https://ag.umass.edu/clean-energy/resources/solar-pv/solar-resources-for-municipalities" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://ag.umass.edu/clean-energy/resources/solar-pv/solar-resources-for-municipalities</a><br>
<br>
There is a case pending before the SJC right now that will determine the extent to which communities can regulate solar.<br>
<br>
SJC-13195<br>
Tracer Lane II Realty, LLC vs. City of Waltham & another<br>
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<br>
Enter the Docket # SJC-13195 here<br>
<a href="https://www.ma-appellatecourts.org/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.ma-appellatecourts.org/</a><br>
and you can see all the documents, including amicus briefs from the AG and several municipalities.<br>
<br>
The hearing is on March 7th.<br>
<br>
Heidi<br>
<br>
E. Heidi Ricci<br>
Director of Policy and Advocacy<br>
Mass Audubon<br>
208 South Great Road<br>
Lincoln, MA 01773<br>
c 781-622-8911<br>
o 781-259-2172<br>
<a href="mailto:hricci@massaudubon.org" target="_blank">hricci@massaudubon.org</a><mailto:<a href="mailto:hricci@massaudubon.org" target="_blank">hricci@massaudubon.org</a>><br>
Pronouns: she/her(s)<br>
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Visit <a href="http://www.massaudubon.org" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">www.massaudubon.org</a><<a href="http://www.massaudubon.org/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.massaudubon.org/</a>> to learn more about our conservation, education, and advocacy work.<br>
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<br>
From: MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org" target="_blank">massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org</a>> On Behalf Of Town Administration via MassPlanners<br>
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2022 12:41 PM<br>
To: Christopher Skelly via MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org" target="_blank">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>><br>
Subject: [Massplanners] Solar Bylaw - prohibition against large-scale cutting / clearing<br>
<br>
Good afternoon, planners!<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
Has anyone implemented zoning bylaw that addresses this? Have you had such successfully approved by the AG?<br>
<br>
Respectfully,<br>
<br>
- Doug.<br>
-----------------------------<br>
Douglas Finn, Administrative Assistant<br>
Town of Westhampton<br>
1 South Road<br>
Westhampton, MA 01027<br>
413-203-3086<br>
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</blockquote></div>