Garrett County board approves special exception for community solar at McHenry site, 4-1

The Deep Creek Watershed Board of Zoning Appeals approved a special exception, by a 4-1 vote, to allow a community solar energy generating system at 465 Pies Road in McHenry, Maryland.

The application, submitted by Thrasher Engineering on behalf of developer UGE and landowners Alexandra and Ekaterina Koffman, was presented at a public hearing during which neighbors raised concerns about property values, road capacity, erosion and construction methods. The board said it will attach conditions requiring screening, stormwater and traffic controls, and performance and decommissioning bonds before the project proceeds.

Chair, Deep Creek Watershed Board of Zoning Appeals, opened the public hearing by explaining the legal standard for the meeting, saying the request was for a special exception and that “special exceptions ... are already allowed by the code in these districts and cannot be denied by this board except in rare instances where sufficient testimony shows the use is worse in this location than anywhere else in the zoning district.” The chair added that the board could impose reasonable additional conditions to address neighborhood concerns.

Representatives for the applicant described the proposed project and mitigation measures. William Gala, representing UGE, and Isaac Williams (UGE) and Spencer…