Westport Planning Board OKs Drift Road solar farm

The company altered property lines to create more distance from adjacent properties and a thick buffer zone from neighboring properties. CVE also made modifications to the drainage plan, designing large catch basins to prepare for a possible 100-year storm event.

WESTPORT — After several contentions hearings, CVE Solar received clearance from the Planning Board to develop a solar farm on Drift Road.

The company altered property lines to create more distance from adjacent properties and a thick buffer zone from neighboring properties. CVE also made modifications to the drainage plan, designing large catch basins to prepare for a possible 100-year storm event.

Neighbors at hearings contended that the 13.9-acre project would impact wildlife and cause flooding, as it would remove trees, leading to open land where water could flow onto adjacent properties. Neighbors took issue with that last point, and especially contended that the hilly area would lead to water flooding properties that already deal with water issues.

Some neighbors challenged that this renewable energy source would have the opposite impact of its intention because the project calls for the clearing of wooded areas in a mostly residential area.

“I think we have to think about all the people in Westport and and there has to be some fall back considerations,” resident Walter Barnes said, adding that the extra flow of stormwater could impact private wells and septic systems.

Barnes also cited reports on climate change and mentioned that the sensitive area on Drift Road, along with climate change in general, could lead to some catastrophic results later.

Planning Board officials agreed that climate change is on the rise, but contended that more solar projects — not more trees — is a more viable answer to reducing carbon.

Board members David Cole and James Whitin discussed that statistic with Cole noting that based on what he has read, an acre of solar panels is 14 times better in carbon mitigation than preserving an acre of trees.

Cole said the main focus of meetings and hearings have been to minimize the adverse effects on neighboring properties.

“You can worry about the neighbors and the town. I think it is also appropriate to worry about the world,” Cole said.

The decision could be appealed and neighbors have been relentless in fighting this project. Andrew Blais, a lawyer representing the neighbors, asked the Planning Board to consider a peer review to ensure that the company’s plans will not adversely impact neighboring properties.

Cole mentioned that such a move is not necessary. Planning Board Vice Chairman Robert Daylor is an accomplished drainage engineer who has spent an estimated “20 to 40 hours” reviewing plans and helping to make key modifications.

The special permit for a large scale solar energy system and the approval for a low impact development came with conditions.

CVE must maintain a 25-foot buffer on the north and east sections of the property and keep those areas in a natural state; work on developing the solar farm must be conducted between 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Saturday; no pesticides can be used, outdoor equipment cannot be stored, and the company can only use non-illuminated signs.

These were among several conditions that company was asked to meet for developing this 3.1-Megawatt system.