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Zoning board approves rooftop solar array for Infusion at George Washington Highway after finding property constraints
Summary
A use variance was approved March 4 to allow rooftop solar on three rows of storage-unit roofs at 678 George Washington Highway; the board cited a land‑use restriction and existing site constraints as the hardship justification and received a positive TRC recommendation.
The Town of Lincoln Zoning Board of Review on March 4 approved a use variance permitting Infusion to install a rooftop solar array on three of five storage‑unit rows at 678 George Washington Highway.
Applicant counsel and the solar installer told the board the property carries a Department of Environmental Management (DEM) land‑use restriction related to past environmental work, which constrains ground‑mounted arrays and made rooftop placement the practicable option. The Technical Review Committee and the planning board recommended approval, noting rooftop solar would not be out of character for the industrial/commercial area and that the prohibition of renewable facilities in the use table likely did not intend to ban rooftop installations.
Installer Jackson Bertram described a system sized at approximately 249.21 kW DC (about 200 kW AC), using flush‑mounted modules on the storage roofs. The applicants said the system is designed to export generation to the grid under Rhode Island’s incentive program and that the site already has other solar installations on higher structures. The board discussed visual impacts and safety measures; the applicant said the arrays will be low profiles and largely invisible from the road, and that required electrical and safety work will meet Rhode Island Energy and town inspection standards.
Chair (name not specified) moved to approve the use variance; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously.
