Southwick's Select Board has postponed a decision on whether to create a committee to draft a green energy systems bylaw — a move that could shape how, if at all, future solar and battery projects move forward in the Massachusetts town.
The delay is about more than committee logistics. Because Southwick's current zoning bylaws do not address battery energy storage systems, postponing the committee could also slow the town's ability to set clear rules for energy projects that may affect public health, emergency planning, land use, and access to lower-cost power.
Here's what to know
A Planning Board request to create a committee for a green energy systems bylaw is on hold in Southwick after Select Board member Russ Anderson questioned whether the town needs a new rule in the first place. The request stems from a gap in the town's current zoning bylaws, which do not cover battery storage systems, according to MassLive.
Massachusetts has already released a draft model bylaw, Chief Administrative Officer Nicole Parker said, per MassLive, but she added that Southwick could adapt that template to fit local conditions.
Speaking on the Planning Board's behalf, Town Planner Alvin Allen said the aim is to have several town departments collaborate on language that addresses the community's specific concerns, MassLive reported.
The committee under discussion would draw one representative each from the Select and Planning boards, the Conservation Commission, public health officials, DPW, the Fire Department, and the Building Department, plus two residents, MassLive reported. Anderson said a group that size could bog down the process, warning, "My fear on a committee would be [that] it's just going to get slowed right down, especially a committee at nine."
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More background
The debate in Southwick reflects a broader challenge facing many communities, which is the delicate process of welcoming cleaner energy technology while alleviating concerns about safety, noise, and siting from the outset.
This is not the first time Anderson has voiced that concern. During a Dec. 1 discussion about a proposed pause on new battery-storage and solar projects, he argued that existing state rules and local permitting may already provide enough oversight, MassLive reported.
Health officials and other local leaders have argued that more work needs to be done before any project application arrives. Mike Hugo, the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards' policy and government affairs director, told Southwick's Board of Health that "there is very strong case law that says a business has to yield to public health," per MassLive.
Board of Health Chair Terry Putnam similarly said the matter extends well beyond zoning, especially when public health and emergency services are part of the equation, MassLive reported.
What's being done?
The idea has been delayed rather than dropped. Select Board member Douglas Moglin said the board should take the matter up again instead of forcing an immediate vote, MassLive reported.
Allen said coordination across departments could help "beef it up with other provisions."
Moglin said getting Conservation, Planning, the Board of Health, DPW, fire officials, and other departments involved while the bylaw is being drafted would make future applications easier to review.
Because any bylaw would require Town Meeting approval, residents will likely have a chance to weigh in on how Southwick balances safety concerns with the potential benefits of cleaner energy infrastructure.
Putnam made the case for acting before a proposal reaches the town's desk, saying, "There's a lot more to this than zoning. Each town has their own [bylaws] depending on where the proposed site is. There are board of health issues. There are fire emergency services. So, it is important to do it."
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