WILBRAHAM – Residents spilled out of the Conservation Commission meeting and into the hallway of the Wilbraham Town Hall on April 23 to listen to plans for four solar arrays on the Wilbraham Monson Academy (WMA) campus with three located in close proximity to Faculty St., and the fourth near Main St. and Mountain Rd.

Sunbug Solar of Arlington was hired by WMA to install the solar panel arrays. At the first public hearing at 7:15 p.m., Heather Comey of Wetland Consultants presented the plans for the three arrays near Faculty St. While one array will be placed into the ground north of the tennis courts, the other two are planned to be installed carport-style.  One of the carport-style arrays is planned to be placed over a parking lot on Faculty Street. The other array will be placed over the former tennis courts, which is currently used for maintenance vehicle parking.

Comey shared where in the vicinity is considered wetland and where the panels would be placed. The carport-style arrays are being placed on top of impervious surfaces, therefore Comey explained they are not related to wetland issues.

Don Frydryk of Sherman & Frydryk LLC shared that in regard to storm water, for this particular project there would be “no increase in peak flows.” He also explained that there would be a 10-foot space between each row of solar panels.

Following the presentation, Conservation Commission Chair Christopher Brown explained that all questions must be related to wetlands issues.  Anything regarding aesthetics are questions to save for the future Planning Board meeting which will discuss the solar panels.

One resident,questioned how they plan to maintain the property and growth underneath the solar array to the north of the tennis courts, and asked if herbicides or any type of chemical would be used.  Commercial Project Development Manager of Sunbug Solar Chris Robinson stated that the company does not use herbicides.  He then shared that generally; the vegetation underneath solar panels is only cut down one to two times each year.

A Main Street resident asked what would happen if during the process of installing the panels into the ground the company hits ledge or rock. Robinson explained that when driving the pole into the ground, should they hit rock, it’s considered a “refusal.” When this occurs, they then bring in an auger to drill into the rock.  

Resident Kathy Bishop reacted, asking if dynamite would be used since in the past it has been used to clear ledge. Robinson explained that he’s never used dynamite for a project like this, and it wouldn’t be considered, as when installing solar there must be a definitive spot to insert the pylon, whereas dynamite would create gaping holes.

Comey asked the Conservation Commission for a continuance on the first Public Hearing as Sunbug Solar is looking to make a few changes to their plans. The Conservation Commission stated the continuance would move over to the May 7 meeting at 7:05 p.m.

Moving onto the second Public Hearing request for Determination of Applicability for the solar array by Main Street and Mountain Road, Comey shared plans with the group that the solar array would be located to the right of WMA’s Wallace Blake dormitory.  For a visual, the Wallace Blake dorm is located up a driveway that comes after Winchester Field off of Main Street if you’re heading toward Boston Road.

Several residents expressed concerns that they already experience flooding issues in their basements as well as their yards, and are worried that if Sunbug cuts down the four and a half acres of heavily-wooded forest that they’re planning on to install roughly two and a half acres worth of solar panels, it will only further negatively affect the water runoff into their yards and homes.

“It’s a heavily wooded area, when the snow melts, that’s no stream it’s a river. We all have water issues, we’re all going to be flooded,” Bishop stated.

Resident Liz McEvoy held up photos she took of her yard in the last few months stating, “It’s a lake. I’m going to get hit on the east and the west. There’s just no way.”

Another resident added, “I had an ice skating rink the size of Nine Mile Pond on my property. I don’t know how you can say if you take away the trees it won’t increase water.”

Another resident interjected, “Who is liable when mitigation turns to litigation?”

While Frydryk explained that there would be, “no increase in peak flow from the site,” residents still stated that by cutting down the trees and vegetation less water would be absorbed, therefore causing more runoff problems.

Conservation Commission Chair Christopher Brown asked Robinson when Sunbug was hoping to begin construction on this, to which Robinson said as early as late summer or early autumn.

Sunbug plans to access the proposed area from the paved road that goes up to Wallace Blake dorm.

Overall, residents echoed one another in concern for their properties and the potential for an increase in water intake.  Brown stated that the commission hears their concerns, however the Conservation Commission can only be sure that the company follows the standards set up in regard to wetland areas, and that if they found there was an increase in flooding then they would go to Sunbug and confront them.  A resident commented that they wanted to be proactive, not reactive.

“They’re [Sunbug and WMA] going to have to tow the line,” Brown stated.

WMA Head of School Brian Easler attended the tail end of the meeting, sharing with residents that the intention of the school was to try to find sustainable power, not to upset them.

“Our intention was not to cause upset or to cause water issues, or to cause any of you less pride in your neighborhood; we love it there, too. Our intention was to try to find a way as a responsible institution to create sustainable power so we can sustain the school,” Easler said.

“You all know the issues with the school district in Hampden and Wilbraham, you all know about the declining birth rates, you all know if you’re a school then it’s a shrinking market,” he continued. “We’re looking for any way we can to be a sustainable institution so that we remain in Wilbraham for a very long time, we want to be good neighbors.”

Easler told residents in attendance that over the course of two years the school has scoured the property for places to put panels. He shared that they can’t use rooftops or fields and can’t use the land behind the turf field due to not having access to it because it’s conservation land.

“We’ve looked everywhere we can look. We’ve tried everything we can,” Easler said. “This is what we’ve come down to.”

A resident responded, “We’re going to be looking at this, you don’t have to look at it, but we have to.”

At the close of the hearing, the Conservation Commission approved the Request for Determination of Applicability for the Main Street and Mountain Road ground-mounted solar panel system.  Again, on May 7 the Conservation Commission will host the continuance at 7:05 for the Faculty Street ground and canopy solar panel systems.