CORNWALL — The Cornwall selectboard will hold a special town gathering on Tuesday, Aug. 11, to get residents’ feedback on a hotly debated solar project being pitched off West Street and to weigh in on the broader topic of how the community should entertain future solar proposals.
Around 15 local residents turned out at Tuesday’s selectboard meeting to learn about a 150kW solar array that the SunCommon company is seeking to build on a portion of the Stephen Payne property at 2838 West St. The project would feature 660 solar panels serving around 30 families, according to R.J. Adler, coordinator of SunCommon’s Addison County projects.
Some at Tuesday’s meeting voiced concerns about the potential visual impacts of the West Street solar array, also noting that the Vermont Public Service Board — and not the town — has permitting authority over such renewable energy ventures. The Addison Independent will feature a comprehensive report on the proposed project and the public feedback it has generated, in its Monday, July 13, issue.
Meanwhile, the town officials have scheduled the Aug. 11 town meeting to get more public comments on the West Street project and solar siting in general. The date and location of that meeting have yet to be set by Cornwall officials.