Energy firm proposes solar farms above Dartmouth cranberry bogs – Special – southcoasttoday.com

DARTMOUTH — A citizen’s petition article proposing to allow solar energy farms to be built above cranberry bogs of 5 acres or more – effectively carving out a special exemption for such agricultural sites from the local prohibition on large-scale solar farm locations in residential zones – prompted plenty of debate at Monday night’s Planning Board meeting.

The zoning amendment to the existing large-scale solar farm bylaw is a local initiative modeled on the new state SMART Program to encourage agriculture-related renewable energy production, explained Next Sun Energy representative Adam Shumaker.

He said four parcels of land in Dartmouth currently used to grow cranberries – about 115 acres of bogs – would be eligible for the trend-setting energy production concept, using special photovoltaic panels located atop 10-foot-high poles that allow some sun to reach the plants below. Most of the working bogs are part of larger parcels of undeveloped land where solar panels could not be located, it was noted.

Because the bogs would be covered by rows of solar panels, they would have to be dry-harvested by hand instead of the bogs being flooded and the berries harvested by machines. The lost sunlight would result in some crop reductions, but cranberry prices are low right now, and most growers would certainly make more money selling electricity than berries.

The goal of the state program is to provide a new source of revenue for farmers, while helping the state meet its alternative energy production goals, Next Sun representatives said in explaining the concept.

The hastily developed “agricultural energy” exemptions to the solar farm bylaw is an interesting concept, but a bit vague for their tastes, several Planning Board members said. They wanted more information on how the state was implementing the new SMART guidelines, and whether the petitioners would consider adding provisions for town “conditions” to the proposed bylaw language.

“I just want it made a little more clear exactly what we’re talking about” before deciding on a town meeting recommendation, member John Sousa said.

Resident and Finance Committee member Gloria Bancroft also indicated she wanted more information on the proposal, not having seen the final text of the actual bylaw amendment yet. She also wanted the article proponents to identify the four parcels that would qualify for the program, and the owners of those properties.

Fred Bottomly owns some of the bogs in the High Hill Road and Flag Swamp Road area. Phil DeMaranville owns the site off Fisher Road where a composting operation is also located.

At the end of a long discussion, Chairman Joel Avila suggested that with “all kinds of questions raised” about the article, a continuation of the public hearing might be in order before the answers are obtained, and a recommendation vote takes place in coming weeks.