HAMPDEN –  On Oct. 10, the Hampden Planning Board will be hosting a public hearing on the citizen’s petition solar moratorium at 6 p.m. at the Town House.

The text of Article Seven on the Town Meeting Warrant, Citizen’s Petition Solar Moratorium is a temporary moratorium in regard to solar energy systems. This would be a one–year moratorium on ground–mounted Solar Energy Systems for non–residential, non–personal and/or commercial use as currently permitted by the Hampden Zoning Bylaws by adding a new section to 7.16 (Solar Energy Systems) of the Hampden Zoning Bylaws.

The proposed new section to 7.16 (Solar Energy Systems) of Hampden’s Zoning Bylaws reads, “Not withstanding any other provision of the Zoning Bylaw to the contrary, the Town hereby adopts a temporary, one–year moratorium on the new use of land for ground–mounted, non–residential, nonpersonal, and/or commercial use Solar Energy Systems effective immediately upon Town vote. This moratorium excludes the instance whereby the Town voted to authorize the Board of Selectmen to execute a lease for commercial solar installation at the capped landfill at the Transfer Station at the Annual Town Meeting on 4/27/15. During the moratorium one-year period, the Town shall conduct a bylaw review of towns of similar size, undertake a planning process that addresses the potential impacts of solar energy systems in Hampden, consider the long–term objectives for solar energy systems and their impact on health, safety, and welfare of Hampden’s citizenry, and to determine how the Town shall reasonably regulate solar energy systems and, finally, to amend the Zoning Bylaws Section 7.16 according.”

Residents are encouraging townspeople to attend the Oct. 10 meeting and have their voices heard.