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<p class="MsoNormal">Hi Doug<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here is a good resource:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://ag.umass.edu/clean-energy/resources/solar-pv/solar-resources-for-municipalities">https://ag.umass.edu/clean-energy/resources/solar-pv/solar-resources-for-municipalities</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is a case pending before the SJC right now that will determine the extent to which communities can regulate solar.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b>SJC-13195<br>
Tracer Lane II Realty, LLC vs. City of Waltham & another</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">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<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Enter the Docket # SJC-13195 here<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.ma-appellatecourts.org/">https://www.ma-appellatecourts.org/</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and you can see all the documents, including amicus briefs from the AG and several municipalities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The hearing is on March 7<sup>th</sup>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Heidi<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif;color:#2F5496">E. Heidi Ricci
<br>
</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif;color:#2F5496">Director of Policy<i>
</i>and Advocacy<i><br>
</i>Mass Audubon <br>
208 South Great Road <br>
Lincoln, MA 01773 <br>
c 781-622-8911<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif;color:#2F5496">o 781-259-2172
<br>
<a href="mailto:hricci@massaudubon.org"><span style="color:blue">hricci@massaudubon.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif;color:#365F91">Pronouns: she/her(s)</span><span style="font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif;color:#2F5496">Visit
</span><u><span style="color:blue"><a href="http://www.massaudubon.org/"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif;color:blue">www.massaudubon.org</span></a></span></u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Gill Sans MT",sans-serif;color:#2F5496">
to learn more about our conservation, education, and advocacy work.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" width="267" height="86" style="width:2.7833in;height:.8916in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D828B4.0CC570C0"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Town Administration via MassPlanners<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, February 23, 2022 12:41 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Christopher Skelly via MassPlanners <massplanners@masscptc.org><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Massplanners] Solar Bylaw - prohibition against large-scale cutting / clearing<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Good afternoon, planners!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><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?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Respectfully,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">- Doug.<br>
-----------------------------<br>
Douglas Finn, Administrative Assistant<br>
Town of Westhampton<br>
1 South Road<br>
Westhampton, MA 01027<br>
413-203-3086<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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