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Planning board approves site plan for four DC fast chargers at Seasons Corner Market, requires underground service or select-board approvals
Summary
After debate over new utility poles, the Town of Dennis planning board approved a site plan for four Level 3 DC fast chargers at 497 Route 134 (Seasons Corner Market) with conditions including a revised plan showing underground electric service or required select-board approvals and submission of the landlord easement.
The Town of Dennis planning board voted June 1 to approve a site plan for four DC fast chargers at Seasons Corner Market, 497 Route 134, but required applicants to submit revised plans and documentation addressing electric service placement and landlord authorization.
Proponents said the project will install Level 3 DC fast chargers (the team cited a typical charging rate of about 180 kilowatts per charger and said the equipment could charge vehicles to roughly 80–85% in about 15 minutes). The applicant’s team told the board that equipment and switchgear worth roughly $500,000 were staged and ready, and that they had coordinated with Eversource on the design.
A central point of contention was Eversource’s proposed route to serve the transformer: the utility’s design would place three new poles in the Marketplace/Route 134 area and extend service across the street. The applicant said changing the design to an underground service would require a full Eversource redesign, which they estimated could take 12 to 18 months and risk the project’s funding and schedule.
"These are what are called Level 3 DC fast chargers…they take about 15 minutes to get a vehicle up to an 80 to 85% charge," the project engineer said during the hearing.
Several board members, including one who said he could not support adding new poles in a previously developed plaza, urged the applicant to pursue underground service. The proponent said an easement from the landlord exists and offered to provide the document to the planner; the applicant also said they would continue to coordinate with Eversource and the town.
Planning board member Rick moved to approve the site plan subject to the board’s standard conditions, a condition requiring written landlord permission to be supplied to the planner, and with a condition stating the facility’s electric service shall be supplied via underground service and no new poles shall be erected. The motion passed on roll call with the requisite votes.
The board required the applicant to submit revised plans reflecting the approved condition on electric service and to provide the executed easement/landlord authorization to the planner before final docketing. The board noted that select-board approval will be required for any work in the town layout and for poles in the public right-of-way.
