Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 1/25/2022
HADLEY – The Planning Board opened a public hearing during their Jan. 18 meeting to review the application of a standalone battery system designed to store energy and electricity produced by renewable sources.
By the meeting’s end, the approval was up in the air as the board felt they needed more time to decide if the project complies with town zoning. The Planning Board is requesting that KP Law provide an opinion on whether a bylaw adopted a decade ago could prevent this project.
The 5-megawatt battery proposed for development by Zero-Point Battery Development of Worcester is facing this issue due to the language in the bylaw that expressed that a project like this is limited to its association with the creation or production of green energy.
“I don’t believe this is a permitted use without solar panels on your side,” Planning Board Chairman Jim Maksimoski said. “That is what our bylaw says.”
While a proponent of solar energy, Maksimoski felt Zero Point’s plans for the gravel pit off Breckenridge Road would be conflicting with the bylaw. Zero-Point’s proposal currently does not show any converting of light to electricity as required in the bylaw.
Maksimoski compared this proposal to the recently approved battery storage at the Nexamp Inc. project near the Hampshire Mall and said that in that battery stores power generated from a 4.63-megawatt photovoltaics that cover more than 15 acres of farmland.
Planning Board Clerk Bill Dwyer mentioned that there is a connection between the battery and green energy, noting that the state general laws are flexible to accommodate under Massachusetts renewable energy goals and initiatives, even though they are not directly related.
Tom Corbett, project manager for Zero-Point, said the batteries are being installed throughout the state to support the grid and the efficiencies of solar. Kevin McGarry, project manager for Fuss and O’Neill consultants of Boston, said the battery complies with state law as long as it is hooked into the grid and absorbs excess electricity from solar arrays during the day.
Other than the concern for what the bylaw allows and does not allow, there was very little concern for the project as it is not located near any homes in town. It also uses a technique to protect groundwater contamination by the use of propylene glycol to cool the batteries.
Ultimately, Maksimoski believed it was appropriate to speak with town counsel for advice rather than voting against the project and possibly entering a legal battle. The hearing will continue Feb. 15.
New testing site could soon be coming to Hampshire Mall
To begin the meeting, the Planning board reviewed an application to allow Testing123, a group that provides COVID-19 testing, to set up a drive through testing site at the Hampshire Mall.
Asim Arshad spoke to the board on behalf of Testing123 and explained their plan of using the west side of the mall as the area for the drive through with the testing location being in the lot behind Target and west of the CineMark. The testing site would begin as a sign up only location with no walk-ins welcomed as a way to try and control traffic flow.
A main concern of the location of this potential site came from Police Chief Mike Mason who worried a potential overflow of traffic for the site that could leak onto Route 9, something that would not be acceptable.
“There shouldn’t be any question of how many people are going to come per hour. You (Arshad) totally control that with registration. That’s our concern for public safety, to make sure the queue doesn’t go out to Route 9,” Mason said.
Arshad did respond by saying once they are there and see how traffic goes with scheduled appointments, they can ultimately decide if they can fit in more cars in with appointments but did commit to changing the route to the east side mall entrance, something suggested by a couple members of the board, if traffic became an issue.
Fire Chief Mike Spanknebel requested that they consider the South Maple St. entrance, the east entrance, to not only avoid any possible issues with Route 9, but to also avoid blocking the emergency route for vehicles behind Target that intersects with where the initial line proposal would be.
“There should be clear access at all times by Target, in my opinion,” Spanknebel said. After more deliberation, he did say he would be fine with the initial plan so long as 123Testing staff provided traffic control and had a gap between cars lined up for testing in that area to prevent the emergency access routes from being blocked off by a stand still line of cars.
Maksimoski applauded Arshad and 123Testing for their efforts to make testing more available but stressed that if they could not handle these concerns of safety it would be difficult to keep the project going.
“Your idea is a great one, testing people, getting this going, trying to address the issue. You’re doing a good thing,” Maksimoski said. “We also need to address safety concerns from the general population so we know if this is causing an issue that the zoning enforcement officer can come down and shut the project down if you can’t address the issue.”
Mason added that he would feel more comfortable with a set schedule of cars coming in per hour to make sure they can avoid any potential issues.
Dwyer said he felt this was a good time to be trying a new site for testing.
“I’m thinking that historically this is a slower time, so it’s a good time to be giving this a try. The holiday rush has passed so there’s not going to be as much of a crowd in there for now,” Dwyer said.
The board ultimately motioned and unanimously passed the plan with conditions of no standing along the easterly side of Target to stay clear for emergency connections, an appointment only set up, and no traffic backup onto Route 9 or within the mall beyond the Route 9 entrance. The Public Safety and Building departments will review operational details prior to the opening.
While there is no date set yet for when 123Testing will begin their new site at the Hampshire Mall, the Planning Board will still meet again with Arshad during their March 1 meeting if issues addressed during the meeting arise in action.
Mason did request that Arshad also invite him to the site the day before they open to get an on scene look of what they will potentially be dealing with.