By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — If the Town of Naples does not have the amendments to a Solar Ordinance prepared in time for it to be on the ballot this spring, there is a safety net.

It is called the Solar Moratorium. 

So far, the Naples Planning Board has granted four building permits for approved solar energy projects. 

Currently, the application process has been stopped until the moratorium is substituted with amendments to the Solar Energy Ordinance. But, there is another way that the town can slow down the parade of solar project applicants — limit the number of projects allowed in town.    

On Feb 16, the Naples Board of Selectmen and the Naples Planning Board joined the Ordinance Review Committee (ORC) for a workshop in which the solar ordinance was discussed. The ORC is a six-member committee that includes: Chairman Skip Meeker, Larry Anton, Sue Fleck, Martina Witts, Russell Sweet and Selectman Ted Shane.  

One thing that was talked about in length is putting a limit on the number of solar projects that can exist within the town’s boundaries. Witts, who serves on the ORC and the planning board, said she had requested that a maximum number of projects be added to the ordinance.   

“Five was a relatively arbitrary number that we came up with staff’s help to put some stake in the ground to limit the actual number of solar farms that would be built,” according to town-contracted Planner Ben Smith. 

Shane questioned how fair the limit was to applicants who are spending money to go through the approval process.  

“It doesn’t make sense to me that the planning board would continue to review applications if they have four approved. It doesn’t make sense that we are going to keep looking at applications if we already have five,” Shane said. 

Jim Grattelo, the chairman of the board of selectmen, spoke. 

“Once we reach five, we should let the applicant know,” he said.  

Naples Code Enforcement Assistant Jennifer Leeman said that any solar-energy applicant has to go through an approval process with different entities on the state level. This process could take months, she said. 

Also, the applicant has to be approved by the town before going to state. 

Shane expressed concerns what the planning board would do when it is reviewing No. 7, No. 8 or No. 9.

“Who gets it first? It is going to get sticky later on,” Shane said. “That needs to be clarified.”

Anton said that he thought there was a bit of a rush to get these solar energy projects approved. He suggested putting an end to conditional approval. 

“What happens with the planning board is that people are in a rush to finish. Everyone is looking for conditional approval,” Anton said. “I don’t think we should give someone conditional approval. Then, they get DEP [Department of Environmental Protection] approval and we never see them again.”

Planning Board member Jimmy Allen said the board should continue granting conditional approval, but do a better job of following up to make sure those conditions are met.

Smith compared solar farm applications to the Wild West. There aren’t any rules in place yet. 

“Tax program put in place to add renewable energy to the power grid. There was a rush of companies, some from out of state.  Then, they got to waiting in line for CMP inter-connection permits. Then, in line for this tax program,” he said. “That is a legitimate question: what is the right number?”

“The town could okay ten with the expectation that only five will be built,” Smith said.

Grattelo asked, “How are we going to determine the five applicants? Five and that is it?”

The four projects that already received approval are: Soltage on Q-Team Tree Service’s property off Route 11; Anne Plummer-Legere’s property off Route 302; BlueWave Solar; and Kimball Solar off Old County Road.