Planning Board Votes to Petition for Solar Bylaw Rewrite
Sturbridge Planning Board voted unanimously to petition the Select Board for a rewritten solar bylaw ahead of a state October 1 permitting deadline.
Planning Board · Meeting of August 24, 2026
Sturbridge Planning Board voted unanimously to petition the Select Board for a rewritten solar bylaw ahead of a state October 1 permitting deadline. Town Planner Aidan Adams and CMRPC's Ron Barron walked the board through seven policy considerations, including opening the Commercial and Commercial II districts to solar by special permit, prohibiting solar and battery storage in Zone 1 of the Groundwater Protection District, and allowing battery storage as both an allowable and primary use. The board voted 4-1 to retain the bylaw's existing 20 percent lot-coverage cap.
Barron said the state's new appeals process reviews denials "with fresh eyes," raising stakes for towns that haven't updated zoning. Member Dane LaBonte caught a drafting error leaving outdated rural-residential language in the draft. A public hearing is expected September 28, with a special town meeting likely in November.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 3,148 words
Source: the Planning Board meeting of August 24, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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