Matthew D. Puntin, of S-K Design Group of Pittsfield, explains a site plan of the new 1.83 megawatt solar array to members of the Southwick Planning Board Tuesday. The new array will be ground mounted and cover 2.7 acres of land south of the Big-Y Supermarket in Southwick. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
SOUTHWICK – A ground mounted photovoltaic solar array is moving forward at 187 College Highway.
The property, owned by Big Y, is adjacent to the Big Y plaza and is approximately 15 acres. The solar panels, if laid next to each other, would take up about three acres.
Design Consultant Matthew Pantin and Project Manager Elizabeth Driscoll presented the project to the Southwick Planning Board this week. The board approved the site plan review, and approved a stormwater management plan contingent on submission of an updated drawing featuring a 50-foot track pad at the driveway to keep constuction dirt from reaching the road as much as possible.
Pantin said the project received approval of the Conservation Commission prior to the Planning Board presentation.
The array would be owned by Hudson Energy and Big Y would be the off-taker.
“They can net meter several stores with this,” Driscoll said.
The project would be set back much more than the 50 feet a new bylaw – pending approval of Town Meeting – would require.
While there is no bylaw governing solar arrays now, the one proposed by the board on the Town Meeting warrant would allow existing installations to remain intact. It also allows home rooftop panels without restrictions. Any commercial or ground-mounted installations would need site reviews by the board, a plan for abandonment, and bonding in place for removal, among other items.
Members of the board expressed their pleasure that Pantin’s plans almost identically mirrored what the bylaw would require.
“I think this project would be okay with the bylaw,” said Chairman Douglas Moglin. “The only thing we would really ask for is a bond for removal of the panels.”
Vice Chairperson Roz Terry added that she would like to see contact information given to the Southwick police and fire departments in case of an emergency.
“We actually go over a shutdown plan with the fire department,” said Driscoll.
Pantin said most of the parcel is wooded and there would be clearing of much of the land, leaving a buffer of wooded area between the installation and residences to the south.
“Under the panels, vegetation will vontinue to grow,” said Pantin. “We’re clearing trees but leaving brush.”
Water would run off the panels under adjacent panels, and a five-foot wide by three-foot deep stone trench would surround the perimeter of the installation. A six-foot chain link fence is also planned around the panels.
Pantin said the trench would act as a detention basin.
“This allows the water to perc back into the ground,” he said.
Driscoll said the nearly two megawatt array would connect directly to the grid and Big Y would receives discounts on electricity. Driscoll said she was not sure of the cost of the project, which was a number decided between Big Y and Hudson Energy. Her firm, RGS Design, is the project designer.
The board questioned whether or not there was a plan in place for removal.
Pantin said while he did not know the details of that plan, he vouched for Big Y’s care of their property.
“Big Y is very protective of their properties,” he said. “They’ve been on top of everything.”
Driscoll said construction is on track to begin this summer.
