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Commission debates whether EEP can protect Ag overlay from commercial solar siting
Summary
Commissioners and a ZBA member discussed whether including agricultural-overlay protections and scenic-resource language in the Enhanced Energy Plan could shift Public Utility Commission (PUC) deference in siting decisions for commercial-scale solar; RPC staff explained towns cannot outright prohibit generation but can add language to guide PUC review.
Members of the Plymouth Planning Commission and a Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) member pressed whether the town's Ag overlay could be protected in the Enhanced Energy Plan (EEP) to influence where large solar projects may be sited. A ZBA member said the EEP can help: "Our EEP specifically says we don't want that in the Ag overlay, and, therefore, the PUC has to give substantial deference," arguing that clear local policy can strengthen the town's voice in state review.
RPC staff replied that towns cannot directly regulate energy production and that the PUC and state policy retain ultimate siting authority for large-scale projects. The presenter explained the practical trade-offs: including specific constraints, scenic resources and reasonable siting criteria in the town plan and EEP increases the likelihood of deference from state reviewers, but it does not confer veto power over commercial-scale generation.
