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Worthington planning board weighs regional staff, applicant‑funded consultants as state fast‑track looms
Summary
Board members said new state timelines for solar applications create a staffing gap for small towns; members discussed regional coordination, applicant‑funded consultant roles and updating local fee/53G rules to pay for peer reviewers.
Members of the Worthington Planning Board told neighbors and each other that state changes to solar permitting timelines risk overwhelming small towns that lack a dedicated planning staff member to serve as a local government representative.
Board members described a recent round of webinars and state rule changes that can fast‑track solar applications and require towns to act quickly on completeness determinations. "We don't have a staff person with time in their schedule to take on this coordinating role," one member said, noting that deeming an application complete can be complex and time‑sensitive.
The board discussed regional options: Hilltown Community Development is convening hilltown planning boards and boards of health on May 8 to explore shared solutions. Members suggested the applicant pay for a consultant to act as the local representative or for PBPC or a regional coordinator to house a paid position to serve multiple towns. Implementing applicant‑funded staffing may require amending how funds under chapter 44, section 53G may be used.
Board members said the practical challenge is timing: hiring a consultant can take months, which conflicts with 10‑day state deadlines, and any shared regional resource would need to be pre‑funded or on standby to meet state timeframes. The group also discussed pursuing legislative or administrative fixes and coordinating with neighboring towns to increase leverage with utilities and state agencies.
Board members asked staff to continue outreach to regional partners and state representatives; they will revisit the staffing/funding proposal at their next meeting and consider drafting fee or bylaw changes to cover consultant and legal costs when applications impose significant review burdens.
