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Commissioners outline PUC review and how Tinmouth’s town plan factors into tower decisions
Summary
Commissioners reminded attendees that the Public Utility Commission controls application completeness and hearings but said the town and selectboard can advise whether a proposed facility meets the Tinmouth Town Plan; prior regional-plan recommendations have affected PUC rulings, the commission said.
Commissioners told residents that the Public Utility Commission will determine when an application is complete and will run the formal review process; the Tinmouth Planning Commission and selectboard act in an advisory role to tell the PUC whether a proposal aligns with the town plan. One member noted that in past cases a regional planning commission recommendation carried weight with the PUC and led to application denials when regional or town plans were not met.
Commissioners said that having clear town-plan language on siting and the energy/telecommunications sections could give the town more influence in advisory comments and urged neighbors to document specific concerns for the record. Chair Michael said the planning board’s role is to review factual material in the application rather than anecdote, and that technical questions — such as precise signal maps and safety setbacks — should be requested from the applicant when the filing is made.
