ATHOL — Members of the Board of Planning and Community Development voted last week not to add a so-called “greenfields” component to the bylaw they hope to hammer out in time for a town meeting this fall. The bylaw would govern the construction of large ground-mounted solar arrays in the Athol’s RC3 zone, which covers more than 75 percent of the town.

Much of what is included in the draft bylaw encourages solar arrays to be built on what are called previously disturbed areas, such as gravel pits and property previously cleared for agricultural activities. A greenfields provision, however, would allow property owners to clear forest and woodlands to accommodate an array, as long as an equivalent amount of land is set aside in perpetuity as open space. A proposal included in the greenfields option would have allowed the BPCD to grant a waiver, allowing for a lesser amount of land to be preserved.

Bill Hogan, who, as part of a working group, has helped draft the proposed bylaw, voiced his opposition to the inclusion of a greenfields provision, arguing it would open up too much of the RC3 zone to solar development, thus rendering the whole point of the bylaw irrelevant.

“We’ve had a lot people come into our meetings,” said board member Aimee Hanson, “who are looking to develop solar on greenfields. I feel like we need to have some compromise for people who don’t have brownfields (previously disturbed property). It’s important for us to represent the entire town, not just some peoples’ views, and we do have quite a few people who have been coming to our meetings who want to be able to do this — who own large parcels of property.”

“(Greenfields) does undermine the concept of focusing on previously disturbed areas,” said working group participant Lori Kay.

Hogan disputed Hanson’s contention that “a lot of people” who wanted to build arrays on property that had not been previously disturbed had approached the board.

Hogan said only three such individuals had approached the board, and reminded participants that a community survey, completed by about 180 people, indicated “overwhelming” support for preserving the forests in Athol, while also protecting residential areas from development. He argued that, by including a greenfields provision in the bylaw, every parcel in Athol with 10 acres or more of property would be able to become home to a solar array.

Mary Holtorf, referencing the purpose of zoning bylaws, said, “They exist to protect the property values of the property owners. So, we’re talking about putting an industrial use in a residential zone. Zoning bylaws aren’t there to let people do whatever they want to do with their property. Whether you want to believe it or not, having a large industrial solar power plant near your property is going to reduce the value of your property. So, I think the greenfields concept that’s been proposed in this zoning is a bad idea. It circumvents the whole purpose of having residential zones, or having any zoning at all.”

Frank Dekker, a consultant with solar developer P.S. Renewables of Portsmouth, N.H., said the greenfields provision provides “plenty of disincentives” for those considering going that route to construct a solar array.

“It’s incredibly restrictive,” said Dekker, “and it’s incredibly cost-prohibitive to do what you want us to do if we are going down that route. Maybe there are 28 sites (in Athol) which, if you were trying to develop all of those, would produce 140 megawatts. Your electrical infrastructure can deal with maybe seven; not seven sites, seven megawatts. So, that’s what we’re talking about here.”

“I’m very sorry, Frank,” said Kay, “but you’re basically a carpetbagger.”

The comment drew swift response from board Chair David Small.

“Lori, stop. Just don’t go there,” he admonished.

After a bit more discussion, a motion was made to move ahead with the draft bylaw, minus the greenfields proposal. The motion was approved by a vote of 5-1, with Hanson casting the sole dissenting vote.

Anyone wishing to comment on the draft should do so by June 15, said Small. It’s hoped a final version of the bylaw will be ready for the board to endorse at its July 1 meeting. That version will then be put to a town meeting vote in October.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com