N.S. planners consider open space trade under Gold property solar plan
NORTH SMITHFIELD — The planning board has begun to weigh whether it favors a mix of land conservation and solar power development for the Gold family property – a 124.7 acre parcel between Lake BelAir and Tarklin Pond off Mattity Road the town once sought to purchase for open space and passive recreation.
The board recently heard a presentation on a proposed 9 megawatt solar farm proposed by BelAir Realty LLC that would be located on 32 acres of the property under a plan that also offers the town a conservation easement or land dedication of the remaining 56 acres.
The planners are also being asked to endorse a special permit for the use as well as a dimensional variance request the developer will be seeking from the zoning board as part of the town’s review process.
John Mancini, an attorney representing the commercial solar project applicant before the board, explained during a virtual meeting on the project the proposed solar use is larger than the six acre maximum allowed under the town’s solar development ordinance.
“We’re proposing a solar use development in excess of six acres. As a result we would need a variance from the code which only permits six acres to be developed for solar under 5.75,” Mancini said of the town’s ordinance requirements.
In effect, Mancini said the developer is requesting a “conditional approval” of the master plan that would be subject to the zoning board granting a special use permit along with the dimensional variance allowing the project on the larger parcel of land.
“And then, once that’s obtained, we would proceed to the Department of Environmental Management to receive the necessary environmental permits and then return to the planning board once we have all our state agency permits in place for preliminary plan and then ultimately, final approval,” Mancini said while outlining the review process ahead.
Dan Russo, a project engineer from DiPrete Engineering, noted the site contains an “undulating topography rising and falling between 310 to 330 feet above sea level that has been disturbed in some sections with past gravel removal operations and clearing.
The parcel also contains forested land that would be logged to eliminate shading of the solar array and a trail system currently used for passive recreation as allowed David Gold, under his ownership of the property.
Although there are no historic properties or cemeteries on the land, Russo noted there are some significant sites as delineated in past surveys and also the remains of an old railroad bed, a feature that would be included the proposed land dedication to the town.
“Existing trails run throughout the site and there is an existing pathway off of Mattity Road where the former train tracks use to be that brings you into the site,” Russo noted.
The development plan would construct the solar array on some of the existing trail system, according to Russo, but planning of the project will include consideration of a possible open corridor between the two array areas and “connectivity between the remaining trails.
The developer has already modified the layout of the array to avoid two identified Native American archeological sites on the property and the Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission has forwarded the planners a letter noting it has no objections to the current plan so long as those areas remain excluded from development.
The town already owns an approximate 10acre conservation easement on the property, in the area that would be developed, and that easement would in effect be swapped for the new dedication of 56 acres, according to the developers.
The conservation easement proposal drew concern from planning board member Megan Staples during the discussion, who asked that the planners be provided with wetlands information on the proposed land dedication.
”I really would like to have a really good number on that only because I don’t want the town to get nothing but wetlands that was protected anyway,” Staples explained.
“If there is a conservation easement, it comes off the tax roll, so it’s like we’re swapping 10 acres for a whole bunch land that couldn’t otherwise be built on and now is not getting taxed,” Staples said.
Planning Board Chairman Gary Palardy also took note of the Gold property reconfiguration under the proposed project and noted the current layout would largely eliminate the existing network of trails that have been used in the past.
“We do have a map that shows the trails that exist and what the proposed overlay shows which trails would be eliminated,” Palardy said while offering that an evaluation of what access would remain would be likely topic for consideration.
Noting the delineation on the plan of where the solar panel would be installed, Palardy suggested “a substantial amount if not a majority of the paths would be gone.”
That change would also affect the current access to the lakefront on the property, he noted.
“In particular, it appears it would disconnect the path that leads to edge of the pond from any of the access down by the old railroad bed,” Palardy said, noting the only access to the area at that point would be by canoe.
“I encourage you to work on how to keep that wonderful aspect of this area while achieve your goals as well,” Palardy said.
Given the date the project was first submitted to the town and the delays that have resulted from the coronavirus crisis, Town Planner Tom Kravitz said the board has until June 5 to render a decision on the master plan request. The developer could allow for more time for the town’s review, he noted.
The five board members voting on the request agreed to authorize Kravitz to prepare a list of stipulations for the project in conjunction with the developer and continue the matter to its June 4 meeting.