BUCKFIELD — Proposals for any new commercial solar energy projects will be on hold for at least 180 days following a unanimous vote at Tuesday’s special town meeting.
About 25 voters attended the meeting before the regular Select Board meeting, and there was no opposition, Town Manager Cameron Hinkley said.
Officials said the six-month pause is needed for the town to get ahead of the growing number of commercial solar farms being built across the state and determine how the town should regulate projects. The town’s land-use ordinances do not address commercial solar power facilities.
According to the moratorium that residents passed Tuesday, officials were concerned with protecting “the public from health and safety risks, including, but not limited to, the potential adverse environmental, health, safety, land-use compatibility, noise and visual degradation effects of development proposals involving a commercial solar energy facility.”
One project under construction in town will not be affected by the moratorium.
The Planning Board has met once on the topic and will now have six months to write an ordinance for voters to consider.
Voters on Tuesday also approved extending the due date one month for payment of the first half of property taxes — from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15.
Hinkley proposed the change due to a computer glitch that has delayed issuing property tax bills. Hinkley said it was unfair to give residents a deadline of just a couple of weeks to pay the first half of taxes. He expects tax bills to be mailed out within the next two weeks.
The date of the final payment remains May 15, 2025.
During the Select Board meeting that followed, the panel approved the resignation of Glen Sevigny from the Planning Board. Alternate John Petrocelli was promoted to a full-time member. With Erin and Jeremy Petrocelli already on the board, that puts three family members on the five-member board.
Hinkley pointed out that the three do not live in the same household, and the Select Board did not see this has an issue, unanimously appointing John Petrocelli to the board.
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