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Sanford board tables Wendy’s‑adjacent solar proposal after neighbors raise buffering, drainage and wildlife concerns
Summary
Neighbors at a public hearing urged the planning board to reject or delay a proposal for a ground‑mounted solar array behind Wendy’s on Main Street, citing visual impacts, wildlife loss, wetland concerns and uncertain stormwater treatment; the board voted 6–0 to table the application for more buffering and drainage review.
SANFORD, Maine — The Sanford Planning Board on Dec. 17 voted to table a proposal for a ground‑mounted solar array behind the Wendy’s on Main Street after multiple nearby residents warned the project would remove tree cover, harm wildlife and increase light and noise for adjacent properties.
Jamie (Planning Department staff) opened the public hearing on application 2025TAC47 and summarized the project: a fixed‑tilt, south‑facing array with a proposed 7‑foot chain‑link fence and privacy slats, an unpaved 20‑foot access road and a small stormwater basin and swale to treat runoff and avoid wetlands. Drew Vardakis of WSP, the applicant’s civil engineer, said the design avoids wetland buffers and that the team is coordinating with police, fire and the city engineer on drainage and access.
Nearby resident Dean Tardiff, 13 Burbank, told the board the site survey in the application was incorrect and that clearing will eliminate habitat and privacy for abutters. “We’re going to lose all that once you guys go clear it,” Tardiff said, arguing the proposed fence and privacy slats would not replace mature vegetation. Another abutter, James Gallagher, said winter drive‑through lighting already shines into his living room and called the chain‑link fence and slats an unattractive and inadequate buffer.
City engineer Matt Provencher told the board the project includes a stormwater BMP that treats the proposed impervious area but expressed concern about whether the current BMP location and sizing will be adequate if the layout shifts; he recommended resolving those calculations before final approval. Staff reminded the board of past instances where post‑approval stormwater changes produced unintended conflicts with other utilities and easements.
After extended discussion about whether vinyl slats in chain‑link fencing are an adequate long‑term buffer and whether vegetative buffers could or should be required, a board member moved to table the application to allow the applicant to address buffering and finalize stormwater and easement details. The motion carried 6–0.
What happens next: The applicant may revise plans to show additional vegetative screening, adjust fence placement, and provide finalized stormwater plans that demonstrate no downstream liability. The board did not set a specific re‑hearing date.
