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HDC holds 12 Pine Tree solar plan after members object to front-roof panels
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Summary
The Historic District Commission asked the 12 Pine Tree applicant to revise plans after commissioners objected to most panels on the house’s primary (front) roof, suggesting lower-roof placement, ground arrays or heavy screening instead.
The Historic District Commission held an application for rooftop solar at 12 Pine Tree after commissioners expressed clear opposition to siting the majority of photovoltaic panels on the main front-facing roof. The applicant, Craig, had proposed 25 panels split between roof faces; commissioners said that wide, visible coverage on the two-story front roof would be highly visible from public ways and inconsistent with HDC guidance for visible elevations.
Commissioner Val summarized the board’s concern: “We have a simple request with regard to solar that it's not on the front of the building,” and suggested alternatives including a lower porch roof, a ground array, or a screening strategy requiring tall screening growth. Commissioners noted that reasonable alternatives — moving panels to a lower roof face, fewer panels on the front, or a ground-mounted array — would make the application acceptable.
The board voted to hold the application and asked the applicant to return with revised layout options and photos that show potential screening; staff noted that screening sufficient to hide panels on a second-story roof would likely require tall plantings (board members mentioned about 20-foot screening if panels remain on the second-story roof). The item will return once the applicant submits alternatives or additional visibility studies.
