Planning Board forwards Pittsfield solar siting amendment to Town Council after public comment

The Pittsfield Planning Board voted to forward an amendment to the town code that would classify specified solar facilities as conditional uses in the C4 District to the Town Council for public hearing and possible adoption.

The amendment was the subject of a public hearing during the board’s meeting. A resident who identified himself as Sean told the board, "I think the ordinance is a good idea," but questioned why the proposal limits solar projects to the C4 zoning district and disallows them in the industrial zone. He also raised concern that rooftop solar tied to the grid could be treated differently than ground-mounted projects.

Glen Walker, who identified himself as representing KD Energy and as owner of the Lottin industrial park, urged the board to permit solar in industrial locations as well. Walker said the site is attractive in part because "the CMP interconnection there is pretty attractive to us," and noted the industrial park has been marketed with little interest until solar was considered.

Board members discussed the town’s earlier moratorium on solar siting and clarified procedure: if the Planning Board votes to recommend the change, the Town Council will hold a public hearing and decide whether to adopt the revision into the town code. After closing the public hearing, the Planning Board voted in favor of forwarding the amendment to the Town Council.

Next steps: the Town Council will schedule a public hearing; if the council adopts the amendment after its process, the code change would become part of the Pittsfield town code.