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Brookfield planning board reviews SolSmart feedback on local solar rules
Summary
Members discussed recommendations from the SolSmart program that reviewed Brookfield's solar ordinance and identified potential changes to production limits, screening rules and permitting checklists; board agreed to study suggested edits and revisit at a future meeting.
The Brookfield Town Planning Board on June 9 reviewed written feedback from the SolSmart program on the town's solar ordinance and agreed to consider edits to make solar installations easier to permit while preserving neighborhood character.
The discussion centered on three areas: a production cap in the town code that limits how much electricity a system may produce, screening and setback language that can restrict placement, and the absence of an explicit solar-farm standard. Marshall Goldberg, a planning board member, summarized the SolSmart findings and said the outside reviewers flagged Brookfield's limit on system output as "not a best practice." Goldberg also reported he had asked the town's code enforcement officer to review installation checklist items so the board could rely on that technical guidance.
Board members said the production limit likely came from model language used when the ordinance was adopted and that the limit originally reflected an intent to discourage large utility-scale fields in Brookfield. Leah Gage, a board member, said the town lacks any explicit standards for solar farms and noted the town's limited locations where large arrays would fit.
Board members discussed neighborhood disputes from prior solar installations and noted Brookfield currently requires setbacks and shielding in some cases. SolSmart recommended minimizing screening requirements because heavy screening can limit viable siting options; the board said it will weigh that recommendation against residents' concerns about visibility and neighborhood fit.
Goldberg said the board would circulate the SolSmart comments and related code excerpts, and pick up the topic at a future meeting. He also offered to connect residents with Christina, the SolSmart coach, for additional technical guidance on installations and permitting.
The board did not adopt any ordinance changes at the meeting and made no formal direction beyond agreeing to review the SolSmart recommendations and the code enforcement officer's checklist in advance of the next discussion.
