“The Cape Cod Commission has granted approval for an unusual solar farm proposal for 18 acres of forested land off Cotuit Road in South Sandwich.
The regional planning agency gave its blessing—with conditions—after a subcommittee conducted a public hearing on the matter in February and engaging in subsequent deliberations. The meeting room was packed with people wanting to weigh in on the matter.
The full commission granted approval in late May and the 30-day appeal period expired this week.
“The commission’s decision is final now that the appeal period has expired,” Jon Idman, the commission’s chief regulatory officer said on Thursday, July 2. “I expect it will be moved back now to the local permitting stage.”
Planning Director Ralph A. Vitacco said this week that the planning board will hold another public hearing, or two, sometime this summer before voting on whether to grant a special permit to the interested energy company.
“The question is how do we electronically conduct a public hearing—considering that it will be a packed house,” Mr. Vitacco told the planning board on Tuesday, June 30. “We will figure something out.”
The solar farm would be located on 18.8 forested acres across Cotuit Road from the Peters Pond and Dunroamin’ RV campgrounds.
Neighbors of the would-be solar array have expressed concerns to the planning board and the Cape Cod Commission about the destruction of forest and wildlife, noise, and air and water pollution.”
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Woolfe, Tao. Sandwich Enterprise 2 July 2020.