PB Decision 2018-10-01Planning -Decision City of Northampton
Date: October 1, 2018 Hearing No.: PLN-2019-0013
APPLICATION TYPE:
PB Special Permit with Intermediate
SUBMISSION DATE
8/27/2018
Applicant's Name: Owner's Name:
NAME: NAME:
SYNCARPHA SOLAR Kenneth & John Burt & JKB Farms, Inc.
ADDRESS: ADDRESS:
250 57TH STREET SUITE 701 41 School Street
TOWN: STATE: I ZIP CODE: TOWN: STATE: I ZIP CODE:
NEW YORK NY 10107 HATFIELD MA 01038
PHONE NO .. FAX NO .. PHONE NO .. FAX NO ..
(212) 419-4840
EMAIL ADDRESS: EMAIL ADDRESS:
Site Information: Surveyor's Name:
STREET NO .. SITE ZONING: COMPANY NAME:
GLENDALE RD
TOWN: ACTION TAKEN: ADDRESS:
FLORENCE MA 01062 Approved With Conditions
MAP: I BLOCK:
1Li;1
I MAP DATE: SECTION OF BYLAW:
49 012 Chpt 350-10: Permit and Certificate Fees TOWN: STATE: I ZIP CODE:
Book:
IP1a;~ 1069 PHONE NO .. FAX NO ..
EMAIL ADDRESS:
NATURE OF PROPOSED WORK
GROUND MOUNT SOLAR ARRAY TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY
HARDSHIP:
CONDITION OF APPROVAL
FINDINGS:
1) Prior to construction the applicant shall post a decommissioning bond in the amount to be approved
by the Board. The Bond shall cover the cost of decommissioning as spelled out in the application
appendices as well as costs associated with removal of all underground electrical conduit,
encasement and wire as well as supplemental utility poles associated with the facility that are within
the layout of Park Hill Road and the cost of restoring the gravel roadway as shown on the final
construction plans.
2). At least 15 days prior to issuance of any city construction permits, the applicant shall submit
revised final site civil construction plans, signed and sealed by a Massachusetts registered P.E., to the
DPW for review and approval.
3). Maintenance of the improved roadway within the Park Hill Road layout beginning at station 1 +00,
including but not limited to grading, plowing, swale and side slope maintenance, shall be the sole
responsibility of the applicant or any subsequent owner of the solar site.
4). Details on sheets C6.0 and C7.0 shall be revised to show that the improved gravel roadway within
the layout of Park Hill Road shall have a subbase of 8 inches of gravel borrow meeting MassDOT
M1.03.0, type A specifications overlaid by 4 inches of Ml.03.1. The gravel surface course may consist
of 6 inches of M1.03.0, type C as proposed.
5). The detail for the stone construction entrance on sheet C7. 1 indicates 6 inch minimum thickness
on the drawing and 8 inch minimum thickness in the notes. The minimum thickness shall be 8 inches ...
6). As offered and prior to final sign-off of construction, the applicant shall either plant 169 trees at
2.5" caliper on site or make a payment into the tree fund to offset the inches of trees lost.
The Planning Board granted the special permit with site plan for the installation of a -5 MW array based on the following plans submitted
with the application:
1). Syncarpha Northampton Solar Project by Beals Associates Dated Aug 17, 2018, Rev. Date Sept 10, 2018 Sheets C.1, C1.0-C1.3, C2.0-
C6.0, C7.0-C7.4
2) Significant Tree Calculation
3). Site Plan Review and Special Permit Criteria
In approving the plans, the board determined that the criteria in 350-11.6 for site plan and special permit had been met.
GeoTMS® 2018 Des Lauriers Municipal Solutions, Inc.
Planning -Decision
Hearing No.: PLN-2019-0013
City of Northampton
Date: October 1, 2018
A. The requested use protects adjoining premises against seriously detrimental uses. The installation of the array will be surface
mounted in primarly open meadow. The site could be reverted to farmland if the array is decommissioned.
B. There will be no need to provide separation of access to the site as the site will only be accessible for maintenance via gravel driveway
off an unimproved portion of Park Hill Rd extension .. The only required maintenance once construction is complete will be mowing and
occasional monitoring.
C. The site will function harmoniously in relation to other structures and open spaces to the natural landscape, existing buildings and
other community assets in the area as it relates to landscaping, drainage, sight lines, building orientation, massing, egress, and
setbacks. The owner will dedicate a portion of the property along Hannum Brook to the City for conservation purposes.
D. The will be no impact to city resources. A stormwater permit has been issued.
E. The requested use meets any special regulations set forth in this chapter. There are no particular criteria for solar arrays.
F. Compliance with the following technical performance standards:
(1) Curb cuts used to access the site will be a narrow gravel driveway.
COULD NOT DEROGATE BECAUSE
FILING DEADLINE: MAILING DATE: HEARING CONTINUED DATE:
9/6/2018 9/20/2018
REFERRALS IN DATE: HEARING DEADLINE DATE: HEARING CLOSE DATE:
9/13/2018 10/31/2018 9/27/2018
FIRST ADVERTISING DATE: HEARING DATE: VOTING DATE:
9/13/2018 9/27/2018 9/27/2018
SECOND ADVERTISING DATE HEARING TIME: VOTING DEADLINE:
9/20/2018 9:00 PM 12/26/2018
MEMBERS PRESENT: VOTE:
George Kohout votes to Grant
Christa Grenat votes to Grant
Janna White votes to Grant
Samuel Taylor votes to Grant
Euripedes Deoliveira votes to Grant
Theresa (Tess) Poe votes to Grant
Mark Sullivan votes to Grant
MOTION MADE BY: SECONDED BY: VOTE COUNT:
Mark Sullivan Christa Grenat 7
MINUTES OF MEETING:
Available on the city website: www.northamptonma.gov/
DECISION DRAFT BY: APPEAL DATE:
10/11/2018
FINAL SIGNING BY: APPEAL DEADLINE:
10/11/2018 10/21/2018
DECISION DATE:
10/1/2018
DECISION DEADLINE:
12/26/2018
DECISION:
Approved with Conditions
I, Carolyn Misch, as agent to the Planning Board, certify that this is a true and accurate decision made by the Planning Board and certify
that a copy of this and all plans have been filed with the Board and the City Clerk on the date shown above.
I certify that a copy of this decision has been mailed to the Owner and Applicant.
Notice of Appeal
An appeal from the decision of the Planning Board may be made by any person aggrieved pursuant to MGL Chapt. 40A, Section 17 as
amended within twenty (20) days after the date of the filing of the notice of the decision with the City Clerk. The date is listed above. Such
appeal may be made to the Hampshire Superior Court with a certified copy of the appeal sent to the City Clerk of the City of Northampton.
GeoTMS® 2018 Des Lauriers Municipal Solutions, Inc.