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Planning staff advances sign revisions and drafts ground-mounted solar guidance
Summary
Staff briefed the commission on updated sign regulations (sent to legal counsel) and on a new accessory-structure exhibit for ground-mounted residential solar, separate from satellite-dish rules; commercial-scale solar remains a site-plan-level issue.
Town planning staff reported progress on code and program work during the June 8 meeting. Shannon Rutherford said staff finished revisions to the sign regulations and would send a draft to town counsel (Bob D.) for review; the revisions focus on open signs and directional signs and a single remaining nuance before circulation to commissioners.
Separately, staff proposed pulling ground-mounted residential solar out of the satellite-dish/accessory-structure rule and giving it its own exhibit and standards (notably for R40 and R80 lot types) to reduce the number of variances and appeals staff have seen when solar does not fit neatly behind the longest rear wall of a house. Staff said commercial- or utility-scale solar remains subject to site-plan review and that projects exceeding state thresholds would go to the state siting review body.
Rutherford also summarized progress on the Plan of Conservation and Development consultant selection: interviews were planned for the week of June 22, with the objective of taking a consultant contract to town council in July and beginning substantive public engagement in the fall.
