All Athol registered voters are requested to attend the July 22nd Special Town Meeting to vote “yes” on the temporary moratorium for large, commercial ground-mounted solar arrays. Athol is vulnerable to poorly sited solar arrays in all of its residential zoned land (78% of the entire town) due to weaknesses in the current bylaws.
With the adoption of the moratorium, no new applications can be received until the town adopts more realistic bylaws that protect water bodies, scenic vistas, ridge lines, assures better water runoff requirements, and enhances requirements for better visual screening to name a few issues. Without updated bylaws, any residential area is at risk of solar arrays like that opposite Market Basket.
Athol deserves better.
William Hogan
Phillipston