Church of the Messiah seeks special permit for ground‑mounted solar; board pauses for fire‑dept review

Peter Feldman Mahan, priest of Church of the Messiah in Woods Hole, told the planning board the church wants a second phase of a solar project to provide electricity for the entire campus and to free funds for outreach ministries. The church’s sexton, Tom Carey, described the design criteria as roughly 40 kilowatts and said the two proposed ground‑mount arrays measure 14 feet by 36 feet each with 24 panels each, providing the remaining 0.667 of the campus’ electrical needs.

“The design criteria required 40 kW of panels… That combined, they will provide enough electricity to cover all the needs for the church going forward,” Tom Carey told the board. He said the arrays would save the church about $14,000–$16,000 annually with a projected payback of one to five years.

Board members and staff pressed for fire‑department review of the planting plan and for clarity on a 10‑foot maintenance/access clearance around ground‑mounted arrays. Carey said they had submitted a planting/vegetation management plan to address invasive species and would follow professional recommendations; he also said the arrays would sit about three feet off the ground and that maintenance access would be provided. The board moved, and carried unanimously, to continue both the special‑permit and site‑plan review hearings to Aug. 11 so the fire department and staff can respond with comments and the applicant can provide corrected materials.

Neighbors who spoke were split: one long‑time neighbor asked why more rooftop options weren’t feasible; another resident said the historic commission had reviewed the application and did not object to the low‑grade ground arrays because panels are not in front of the building. The board asked the applicant to supply photos and final planting plans for staff and fire‑department review before the continued hearing.