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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Fellow massplanners:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>A few weeks ago my colleague, Michael DeChiara and I invited your review and comment on a paper we were writing re: recommended solar installation standards for DOER consideration. As you may know, on March 1, 2026 municipalities that comport with DOER standards will no longer be subject to the solar exemption in Section 3 of the Zoning Act. However, we felt that in formulating these standards DOER should be privy to the hard-earned experience of local planners. Hence, our paper. Many of you contributed your thoughts and we tried to incorporate wherever we could. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Here’s a link to the final paper. If you agree with these recommendations (or most), please talk them up within your town government, your RPA, and elected representatives.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/17Xn5B_DvUYQEBU8r7ZmUePUIOt0oZP77/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Recommendations on the DOER Standards for Local Regulation of Ground-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Installations in Massachusetts</a></span></b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/17Xn5B_DvUYQEBU8r7ZmUePUIOt0oZP77/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">https://drive.google.com/file/d/17Xn5B_DvUYQEBU8r7ZmUePUIOt0oZP77/view?usp=sharing</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Thanks so much,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Jeff Lacy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Rural Planning Associates<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>896 Graves Road<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Conway, MA 01341<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>ruralplanningassociates@crocker.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>(413) 230-9693<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>