Planning Board approves minor modifications for Clems Way Solar, drops battery storage

The Acushnet Planning Board on July 2 voted to accept a set of minor modifications to the Clems Way Solar project at 1090 Main Street after the applicant's representative, Zachary Farkas, described changes to the site and construction plans.

Farkas said the project will remove its planned battery energy storage system and retain only inverters and transformers on three small equipment pads, converting the installation to a solar-only project. "The energy storage will be completely removed from the project," he said, and noted that the project's chosen net-metering program does not require batteries. He told the board this change reduced impervious surface from about 5,500 square feet to roughly 3,700 square feet, a reduction the applicant said will improve stormwater performance.

The applicant also said the ring gravel roads around the three arrays will be "tightened up" to shorten the perimeter and reduce imported fill and impervious area; engineers on the applicant's team estimated roughly 300 linear feet of road adjusted, about 4,900 square feet and 226 cubic yards of material affected. Farkas said the town's approved stormwater features will remain unchanged and that the road adjustments should reduce overall disturbance.

Farkas reported that Eversource selected a different pole for the point of interconnection (POI), moving the connection point slightly north on the applicant's property; he said the change does not alter array wiring, only the interconnection location. He also asked permission to clear about 20 small white pines in a thin stand along the eastern array that contractors said are likely to fail in wind and could present a safety or equipment-damage risk during construction.

For record-keeping the applicant said he will submit stamped construction plan sets to the town next week and expects to file a full building permit application shortly thereafter. He also said he will appear before the Conservation Commission in the coming weeks to coordinate any required permits.

Chair Mark Francois asked the board for a motion to treat the five items described by the applicant as minor modifications rather than requiring a full public hearing; a board member moved, another seconded, and the motion carried with the board voting in favor. The minute record shows an "All in favor" vote and "Aye" responses; the motion passed and the applicant was directed to provide updated plan sets for town files.

The applicant represents Clems Way Solar LLC / Rewild Renewables; the owner is listed as Brookside Realty Trust and the representative firm as Bills and Thomas Inc. The board requested a copy of the stamped construction plans for town records and suggested seeding disturbed areas prior to winter.

Next steps: the applicant will provide the updated plan set to the planning office, appear before the Conservation Commission, and submit a building permit application. The Planning Board's classification of the changes as minor modifications allows the applicant to proceed without reopening a full public hearing on the original approvals.