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Bethany commission approves 795 Carrington Road solar array with environmental conditions
Summary
The Enrollment Commission approved a ground-mounted solar array at 795 Carrington Road, subject to a long-term operation and maintenance manual, construction review, and access for Regional Water Authority inspectors; the application included a DEEP stormwater permit and an eastern box turtle habitat assessment.
The Bethany Enrollment Commission approved an application to construct a ground-mounted solar array at 795 Carrington Road after hearing technical responses to stormwater and habitat concerns.
Chair Chris Sullivan moved to accept the application by PreTech Americas (Tri Tech), based on plans by Soley Engineering and subject to the long-term operation and maintenance manual and a pre-construction meeting with commission members or the enforcement officer, the site contractor and the site engineer. The motion carried on a voice vote after a brief discussion of permit conditions.
The applicant submitted a packet of documents in response to regional comments that included a Connecticut DEEP general stormwater permit approval, a Connecticut natural diversity database determination, a Regional Water Authority (RWA) property access letter, a long-term operation and maintenance manual and an eastern box turtle habitat assessment conducted by licensed herpetologist Dennis Quinn of Quinn Ecological LLC. Staff said the DEEP permit was issued under the updated general permit effective January 2026 and that the RWA had been provided the same materials; the applicant reported receiving no additional RWA comments.
Commissioners focused on erosion-control measures during construction. Staff read that perimeter erosion controls will be installed before clearing or grubbing, that the contractor will inspect controls weekly and after rainfall, and that stabilized stockpile areas and additional on-site controls will be maintained. Anthony, the project engineer, said the anti-tracking pad will be built to the state standard (large stone), and agreed to provide a longer tracking pad where the plan showed more than the minimum; he added that the pad and other controls will be regraded and renewed during construction as needed.
Members also noted the project's detention basins and steep slopes and discussed how design features (silt fencing, erosion-control matting, swales, sediment basins and an infiltration basin) are intended to reduce peak flows and treat stormwater. The chair said the commission would schedule a pre-construction meeting with the enforcement officer and the contractor to review permit conditions and field operations prior to site work.
The commission’s approval includes the requirement that RWA inspectors be granted annual-access for watershed inspections, as provided in the submitted access letter. The commission also noted the submission of an eastern box turtle assessment and a proposed protection plan the applicant says will be implemented during construction and operation.
The next procedural step is the pre-construction meeting and the contractor’s adherence to the approved erosion- and sediment-control measures; the commission recorded the approval and closed discussion on the matter.
