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49-012 Solar culvert email-4Louis Hasbrouck <lhasbrouck@northamptonma.gov> Re: Northampton Solar 1 message Graeme Dutkowsky <graeme.dutkowsky@syncarpha.com>Thu, Nov 7, 2019 at 9:38 AM To: Donna Lascaleia <dlascaleia@northamptonma.gov> Cc: David Veleta <dveleta@northamptonma.gov>, Mahi Bathula <mbathula@csenergy.com>, Louis Hasbrouck <lhasbrouck@northamptonma.gov>, Jason Mansilla <jason.mansilla@syncarpha.com>, Keith Akers <keith.akers@syncarpha.com>, Cliff Chapman <cliff.chapman@syncarpha.com>, Carolyn Misch <cmisch@northamptonma.gov> Good morning Donna- We are in the process of trying to setup a call with National Grid, the City, and our contractor to discuss the interconnection options. Is there any particular date and time in the near future that works best for you and anyone else at the city that needs to be included? Would you be able to direct us as to what the next steps would be if either option is chosen and what the anticipated timeline for approval would be? On a similar note, is the city open to granting a conditional building permit so we can commence with work on site and iron out the details of the interconnection in parallel? If so, it would be greatly appreciated. Regards, Graeme Dutkowsky Project Management Syncarpha Capital, LLC 250 West 57th Street, Suite 701 New York, NY 10107 Office: (212) 419-4840 x350 Cell: (845) 721-9113 Email: graeme.dutkowsky@syncarpha.com http://static1.squarespace.com/static/51ff15c3e4b0af1f5ce7eced/t/520d40e2e4b0f5e66f281ce0/1424975730727/?format=1500w The sender of this email is acting on behalf of the Syncarpha-affiliated entity or entities that are involved in the subject matter of this email (the "Subject Entities"). The use of "Syncarpha Capital, LLC" in the contact information of the sender is solely for information purposes and should not be construed to implicate Syncarpha Capital, LLC, or any of its other affiliates, for the obligations and liabilities of the Subject Entities. On Thu, Nov 7, 2019 at 8:37 AM Donna Lascaleia <dlascaleia@northamptonma.gov> wrote: I am copying in Carolyn Misch, the City's Senior Land Use Planner on this email chain. It is my understanding that Syncarpha was granted approvals to build underground, not overhead, and that any deviation from this plan would require Planning Board approval. Note that if Board approval were to be granted, additional tree mitigation and the associated process may be required. I understand that you are eager to begin work on this project. If you are proceeding underground, culvert replacement will be required as a condition of the permits issued by DPW. If you are proceeding overhead, Planning Board approval for this change is required. Please confirm whether you will be proceeding overhead or underground so that we can direct you on next steps. On 11/5/2019 2:51 PM, Graeme Dutkowsky wrote: Good afternoon Donna- We had a site visit with National Grid in the middle of October and discussed eliminating the underground conduit and culvert crossing in its entirety. Currently they are working on an overhead design that would incorporate three to four utility poles along Park Hill road. They plan to continue the overhead line that is currently at the end of the street and route it alongside Park Hill road directly to our site entrance. We do not have a revised design from them currently but the intent is to proceed overhead and to avoid installing any underground conduit runs. We are very eager to get this project started and if there is anything further you need from us to issue the building permit please let us know. If we need to setup a call to discuss the path forward we can certainly do so as soon as possible. Regards, Graeme Dutkowsky Project Management Syncarpha Capital, LLC 250 West 57th Street, Suite 701 New York, NY 10107 Office: (212) 419-4840 x350 Cell: (845) 721-9113 Email: graeme.dutkowsky@syncarpha.com http://static1.squarespace.com/static/51ff15c3e4b0af1f5ce7eced/t/520d40e2e4b0f5e66f281ce0/1424975730727/? format=1500w The sender of this email is acting on behalf of the Syncarpha-affiliated entity or entities that are involved in the subject matter of this email (the "Subject Entities"). The use of "Syncarpha Capital, LLC" in the contact information of the sender is solely for information purposes and should not be construed to implicate Syncarpha Capital, LLC, or any of its other affiliates, for the obligations and liabilities of the Subject Entities. On Tue, Nov 5, 2019 at 2:20 PM Donna Lascaleia <dlascaleia@northamptonma.gov> wrote: Mr. Dutkowsky: The culvert carrying Hannum Brook under Park Hill Road Extension has the potential to be negatively impacted by the heavy truck traffic necessary to construct this project. Plating and additional cover would be acceptable to the DPW if and only if the installation of underground conduit for your interconnection was not proposed to cross over the top of the culvert. The City will not run the risk that this proposed duct bank will not maintain minimum clearance requirements from the top of the culvert or be an impediment to future culvert construction in the event that your construction activities contribute to its failure now or at a later date. For this reason, we will require that Syncapha commit to funding design, permitting and replacement of the culvert prior to the issuance of a driveway permit and a trench permit, which is required for any excavation within the City limits. Note that no building permit will be issued until a driveway permit is issued. Permitting for culvert replacement can be time consuming, so I recommend that to avoid project delay, the process be started as soon as possible. If Syncarpha would like to propose an alternate interconnection route which avoids the culvert, we can revisit the requirement to replace it, while understanding that its condition will be documented and assessed prior to project close out in the event your activities have damaged it, at which time mitigation would be required. Copying in Louis Hasbrouck, the Building Commissioner. -- Donna LaScaleia Director Department of Public Works City of Northampton 413-587-1570 On 11/4/2019 5:12 PM, Graeme Dutkowsky wrote: Good afternoon David- Thank you for reaching out. You are correct, National Grid is still in the process of approving our interconnection and has yet to commence with design. When the time comes we will most certainly involve you in those discussions so we are all on the same page. That being said, can we have the building permit released since this concern is specific to the interconnection and is anticipated to be resolved within the next few months? Please let me know if you would like to setup a brief call to discuss further. Regards, Graeme Dutkowsky Project Management Syncarpha Capital, LLC 250 West 57th Street, Suite 701 New York, NY 10107 Office: (212) 419-4840 x350 Cell: (845) 721-9113 Email: graeme.dutkowsky@syncarpha.com http://static1.squarespace.com/static/51ff15c3e4b0af1f5ce7eced/t/520d40e2e4b0f5e66f281ce0/1424975730727/? format=1500w The sender of this email is acting on behalf of the Syncarpha-affiliated entity or entities that are involved in the subject matter of this email (the "Subject Entities"). The use of "Syncarpha Capital, LLC" in the contact information of the sender is solely for information purposes and should not be construed to implicate Syncarpha Capital, LLC, or any of its other affiliates, for the obligations and liabilities of the Subject Entities. On Mon, Nov 4, 2019 at 10:30 AM David Veleta <dveleta@northamptonma.gov> wrote: Dear Mr. Dutkowsky, We have been working with Mahi Bathula at CS Energy as this important project gets underway, and he gave me your contact information. It has come to our attention that the culvert crossing over Hannum Brook on the closed portion of Park Hill Road Extension, which provides access to the solar site, is in poor condition and has minimal cover. CS Energy has provided a report from BMC Engineering LLC that proposes steel plates and traffic pattern limitations to protect the culvert during the project construction phase. This solution may be acceptable during the construction phase, however, a concrete encased primary electrical cable is also proposed to cross the culvert. Even with the proposed addition of 18" of gravel base, it appears there will be insufficient cover to meet the proposed conduit trench profile on the approved plans. It is therefore likely that the conduit would end up being place almost directly on top of the culvert, potentially compromising the culvert and significantly complicating a future culvert replacement. Given that, we are requesting that Syncarpha replace this culvert prior to installation of the underground primary electric and will approve the proposed steel plates if Syncarpha agrees. It is our understanding that the interconnection approval from National Grid is still in process and that there would be time to accomplish this based on the overall schedule. Feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss. Thank you, David -- David Veleta, P.E. Department of Public Works 125 Locust Street Northampton, MA 01060 T: 413-587-1570 ext.4310 C: 413-320-0198 F: 413-587-1576 E: dveleta@northamptonma.gov W: www.northamptonma.gov/dpw -- Donna LaScaleia Director Department of Public Works City of Northampton 413-587-1570