On June 1, 2020 Maine based Dirigo Solar submitted a building permit application to the Town of Rangeley for a $5.2 million dollar 12 acre solar facility. Dirigo Solar proposed leasing a 12 acre portion of Mark and Marie Beauregard’s 230 acre farm. This farm land had previously been permitted by the Town of Rangeley for a sporting clay range and by the State of Maine as a Commercial Shooting Area. The farm also produced hogs, hay, forest products, strawberries and Christmas trees.
The Rangeley Code Enforcement Officer asked the Town’s attorney for guidance in this matter. On June 4, 2020 Town Attorney Kristin Collins responded “As Rangeley’s Ordinance currently reads, it does appear that the best fit under the table of uses is essential services as the project is an electrical facility.”
At a June 24, 2020 the Rangeley Planning Board meeting, Chairman Rebecca Carmichael-Austin motioned that a solar farm moratorium be recommended to the Board of Selectmen. Vice Chairman Lucas Sirois (an abutter to the project) seconded the motion. The third member present was also an abutter to the project. The three voted unanimously to approve the motion.
The July 6, 2020 Board of Selectmen’s meeting agenda contained an item for the scheduling of a Solar Farm Moratorium Public Hearing and Special Town Meeting. The Selectmen voted to table this agenda item.
On August 20, 2020 the Rangeley Code Enforcement Officer issued a building permit
for the 12 acre solar array to be located on the Beauregard property.
The Rangeley Zoning Board of Appeals received an application for an Administrative Appeal dated September 3, 2020 from Lucas J. Sirois. Mr. Sirois appealed the Code Enforcement Officer’s decision to issue the building permit suggesting an error in the interpretation of the ordinance.
Mr. Sirois’ property located at 42 Village Woods Drive abuts the Beauregard property. Mr. Sirois also owns property at 3155 Main Street. The United States of America as plaintiff filed a “verified complaint for forfeiture” in US District Court, Portland, Maine on July 22, 2020. This complaint requests the State of Maine to forfeit to them both properties for drug trafficking and money laundering activities. This process has not advanced so Mr. Sirois is still the owner of record and therefore has legal standing to file the administrative appeal.
The Rangeley Zoning Board of Appeals met on September 29, 2020 to act on Mr. Sirois administrative appeal. The three member Board voted 2-1 to support the Code Enforcement Officer’s interpretation of Rangeley’s Zoning Ordinance and to deny Mr. Sirois’ appeal.
Rangeley Ordinance allows an applicant to request the Zoning Board to reconsider their decision and also file an appeal with Superior Court.
Dirigo Solar had reached out to Mr. Sirois to see if they could modify their proposal to accommodate his concerns. Mr. Sirois informed them that the only way he could get behind this project was if he took possession of 8 to 10 acres of Beauregard land. The transfer of ownership is not an option so Dirigo Solar will stay involved in the appeal process until it is completed. They are hopeful that the appeal process will conclude in their favor and that the project can move forward. Until the appeal process is completed the project will remain “on pause”. Future activity on these matters will be reported in The Rangeley Highlander.
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