GRANBY – Votes on new bylaw amendments were the highlights of the May 23 Granby Special Town Meeting, including an amendment that could lead to more solar installations in town.

In a 43-13 vote the town passed the amendment of a zoning bylaw that adds permission of large-scale, ground-mounted solar photovoltaic installations. Ken Comia, a representative from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission was alongside Planning Board member Nita Abbott in presenting the proposed bylaw amendments.

Comia spoke about the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Program, a state incentive program established to support the development of solar in Massachusetts. He further spoke on how certain types of land can be used as agricultural and share solar on it as well, something the amended bylaw will now allow in Granby. Comia summed up the bylaw as the ability to use your land the way you want to use it.

Article 11 was focused on amending another bylaw that would allow for residents to more easily host private events on their property. Comia explained that residents would have to get a special permit from the Planning Board that would include having a public hearing before the Special Permit would be issued. All abutters would be notified of the events that are taking place, and to host at your venue, you must have the proper parcels of land to obtain such permits.

The change allows more freedom to residents in hosting functions on their property with the amount of proper land and that does not affect other neighbors without proper notice.

Town Clerk Kathy Kelly-Regan said with all items passing during the meeting, it was her impression that many of voters who came to the meeting were in support of making these zoning changes.

“Everything passed, a lot of the articles at Special Town Meeting were just transferring of money at the end of a fiscal year to pay things that were unforeseen,” Kelly-Regan said.

Some money transfers of note under other articles from the Special Town Meeting were $15,000 for the purpose of making repairs on the Council on Aging and Public Safety Complex water systems, a transfer of $40,000 from the Snow and Ice Expense budget to the Fire Department Personal Services budget, and the transfer of $66,527.57 for the purpose of funding costs associated with the Route 202 water main project.

Reminder Publishing reached out to the Planning Board for comment on the proposed bylaw changes but did not receive a response as of press time.