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Planning board discusses requiring decommissioning plans and bonds for solar projects
Summary
Board members reviewed sample decommissioning language used by other municipalities and discussed requiring a decommissioning plan and a financial assurance (bond) for future solar arrays to ensure sites can be restored if arrays are abandoned.
Board members raised the issue of solar‑array decommissioning and asked staff to research model language. A member reported several municipalities now require a decommissioning plan and a financial assurance — commonly a performance bond — to guarantee site restoration if a solar installation is abandoned or stops operating.
The member summarized sample ordinances and said requirements often specify a time limit such as removal if a system is inactive for six months and require the owner to return the site to a defined condition. The board discussed how bonds are structured (one‑time bonds held until removal or periodic renewals) and the enforcement mechanism — the town can revoke permits and require removal if an owner fails to comply. Members asked the chair and town staff to consult the town attorney about incorporating decommissioning requirements into zoning or site‑plan standards and to provide draft language for a future zoning amendment workshop.
