By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — A proposed solar project calls for a 50-foot buffer of already existing trees that would encircle the entire solar-energy farm. 

Portions of the land were cleared about 15 years ago so the regrowth is substantial. However, the Naples Planning Board would like to be guaranteed that if any arrays ever become visible from Brandy Pond, the company would remedy the problem even if it was another party that cleared the land and caused an array to be seen.

On Tuesday, Sept 7, the planning board tabled approval of a site plan for a proposed solar energy farm on the property off Olde Village Woods Road. The vote was 5-0-1, with Robert Fogg recusing himself. 

The board requested that the applicant, Soltage LLC come back with more information. That data includes the noise levels, the annual maintenance plan, the distance from homes of abutters, and also language making the company pledge in the future it would mitigate any views of the solar array from Brandy Pond. 

The deadline to turn in documents for the next planning board meeting had already passed. Therefore, Soltage will provide the requested details during next month’s meeting on Oct. 5.

The real sticking point for the board was the probability that the viewshed from the pond might someday be tainted if a portion of the array were to become visible — either because an abutter cleared trees or Mother Nature dropped a tree that was buffering the view. 

Soltage Director of Development Brett Pingree said his company would do whatever was necessary, such as tilting back an array, to keep the landscape pristine. 

Additionally, someone on the Soltage team said he could provide the town with the legal language for what the solar company would do if arrays become visible. 

Naples Planner Ben Smith addressed the board’s concerns versus what might be overstepping bounds. 

“This is something we will have to discuss more: Visual impacts and future visual impacts. As we think about the things like future tree cutting on other properties, this applicant doesn’t have control over what other people do with their properties. We wouldn’t impose on other properties. We should be thoughtful on making requirements on other properties,” Smith said. 

Chairman Doug Bogdan spoke.  

“My concern is: Are views from the lake going to be impacted? And it doesn’t look like it going to be impacted,” he said. 

There was mention of a workshop to address viewshed since the Solar Energy Ordinance prevents any projects where solar equipment can be seen from navigable waterways. 

Planning board alternate Larry Anton brought up the topic, saying the town planner and board members should hold a workshop, perhaps an hour before the regularly scheduled meeting. The board did not finalize a date for a workshop. It did agree to table the project for another month.

“I would like to see it tabled so at the next meeting we could come up with everything and approve it,” Anton said.

Anton expressed concerns about setting a precedence for solar projects.

Planning Board member Martina Witts asked about maintenance plan, which was not included in the site plan. 

“These are very low maintenance. Not a lot breaks. It is very low maintenance,” Pingree said. “There is mowing once or twice a year. The Maine Department of Transportation doesn’t allow us to do it more often than two times a year.”  

Planning Board alternate Marty Zartarian asked about the decibel level from the converters. He had heard it was about as loud as a vacuum cleaner.

It was pointed out that the decibel levels were available Online. The board asked that it be submitted with the site plan information. 

The other piece of information that was missing was about abutters. Board members asked Soltage to figure out the distance from homes to the outer edge of the solar energy farm. 

During the discussion, Anton asked Pingree to describe the property, which the planning board had taken a site walk on earlier that evening.   

“Semi-forested might be the term,” Pingree said.  

“It looks to me that you are relying on neighboring properties to screen you from Brandy Pond,” Anton said. 

“The elevation was a buffer, not the trees,” Pingree said. 

Anton said if the trees are cleared to make room for the solar arrays, the buffer would reduced.  

“There is a 50-foot buffer that we are maintaining. That is on Anne’s [Plummer] land not the abutter’s land. The 50-foot buffer is built in,” Pingree said. 

Anton said, “If suddenly it becomes visible, you would have to do whatever to keep the array from being visible.”

Planning Board member John Thompson followed along the same vein as Anton. 

“If down the road, in five or ten years, for whatever reason, would you be willing to take parts of the array off so people couldn’t see them,” Thompson said.

Pingree responded.  

“Absolutely. If those conditions aren’t met, it is up to us to mediate it. We haven’t encountered this problem before so I don’t have a perfect answer,” Pingree said. “We would comply 100% with the condition if we were found to be noncompliant.”