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The agenda with links to all relevant documents as well as a recording of the meeting can be found here.
Highlights: Most PC meetings are sparsely attended. This meeting attracted a good sized audience because of the solar project in Davisville. The PC gave preliminary approval to the project, explaining that while they understand the impact of the project on the community, the Planning Commission must follow the town’s ordinances. And the project is allowed by right on property zoned light industrial.
Commission actions:
The Commission approved a final plan extension for the Schooner Landing project on Post Road and gave final approval to Volta Charging LLC’s preliminary and final development plan review that included a request for dimensional variances and special use permits for two projects: 2 EV charging stations at the Stop and Shop on Frenchtown Rd. and 2 EV charging stations at the Stop and Shop on Ten Rod Road.
The Commission approved a request to withdraw the application for a Verizon Wireless telecommunications tower on Fletcher Road. The applicant testified that they are in discussions with Quonset Business Park for an alternate site for the tower. We heard testimony for and against the Fletcher Road location.
The majority of the meeting was devoted to a public hearing and Commission consideration of a combined master and preliminary plan major land development project for NKGM 1, LLC, a solar project off the intersection of Firwood Drive, Maplewood Drive and Elmwood Drive in Davisville.
This 4 MW project is located on 36.2 acres located between the neighborhood and RI 403. The proposal includes a 125 foot undisturbed buffer area and a 75 foot managed buffer area where the project abuts the residential area.
There are stormwater best management practices to mitigate site drainage and a proposed gravel access road, electrical equipment, concrete equipment pads and a chain link security fence. The applicant has all pertinent permits for the project. The parcels are zoned Light Industrial (LI). The proposed solar array is permitted by right and does not require
relief from the zoning ordinance. The project is also in the groundwater recharge and wellhead protection overlay districts. The solar array will require 17.43 acres of the 36.2 acre site to be fenced and total impervious cover for the project is 1.64 acres.
Many residents of the abutting neighborhood were present and testified during the public hearing. They oppose developing a solar project adjacent to their neighborhood and raised concerns including the loss of trees, construction impacts on a residential neighborhood and increased noise from the highway due to the removal of the existing treed buffer.
At the close of the public comments, the applicant and members of the Planning Commission discussed the concerns raised. Several concerns including archeological studies and fire response had been addressed by the applicant and letters from the Public Archeological Laboratory and NK Fire Chief and Fire Marshall were part of the application packet.
The Commission voted to ask the Town Council to request RIDOT conduct noise studies of the neighborhood as the noise comes from the RIDOT roadway. The applicant acknowledged concerns about construction activity and said they will notify the residents when major construction is occurring and will avoid traveling through the neighborhood during times when buses are picking up and delivering children. Landscaping along the service road was discussed and the Commission asked for the applicant to work with adjacent landowners and the town on a plan to make the road as unobtrusive as possible.
The Commission reached consensus to approve the project and added a list of conditions to the approval including:
No use of pesticides or other chemical means to manage vegetation
No long-term fertilization of the vegetation
No blasting on the site
No export of topsoil from the site
The fence will be black vinyl (and will be raised 6 inches from the ground to allow passage of animals)
No storage of fuel on site
The project was continued to the October 15 PC meeting for final approval.