![]() The City of Waltham, abutters in Waltham, and the developer all have a number of options, including further litigation, to address their continuing concerns. A group of Lexington residents is planning to protest the development. We most likely will hear more on Tracer Lane. We have not heard the last on Tracer Lane - or the bigger issue of renewable development This last condition has the potential to derail the project - the applicant refused to agree to the 100 ft setback, arguing that with less space they would have to cut back on the number of solar cells and would not be able to produce 1 megawatt of energy, which would make it impossible to meet their agreement with Eversource. These conditions address a range of issues including requirements to provide extensive landscaping, revegetation, and erosion control measures, and to set back the solar panels 100 feet from residential properties, as opposed to the 50-ft setback in the plans. The board attempted to address concerns by approving the application with extensive conditions – 57 of them. The board voiced concerns over the lack of public support for the project, the limits on its ability to impose conditions, and the lack of engagement by the developer. While some opponents of Tracer Lane say it’s necessary to interfere for the sake of public health and safety, Lexington’s attorney suggested that the scales are tipped towards the rights of solar developers.Īt last week’s meeting, the Planning Board voted with those constraints in mind, but you could sense their tepid support. In 1985, the statutes, known as the Dover Amendment, were expanded to ensure uses such as solar energy would be free from “local interference” except “where necessary to protect the public health, safety or welfare.” Of course, the word “necessary” is subject to legal interpretation. In 1950, Massachusetts enacted laws to prevent municipalities from adopting zoning laws that prohibit educational and religious facilities. The Commonwealth has also enabled solar development to advance energy transition goals. ![]() A solar energy system is an allowed use in a manufacturing zone. The Town of Lexington changed the zoning of the project site to manufacturing in 2015. Planning Board member Robert Creech, who voted against the approval, summed it up: Tracer Lane is “a bad idea,” he said, “with too many negatives and no positives.” The Cambridge Reservoir / Credit: Lauren Feeneyĭespite the overwhelming opposition to the project, it would be difficult for Lexington (or Waltham) to stop it. The Planning Board concluded that Tracer Lane’s application did not minimize environmental impact, did not adequately protect public safety, did not protect against undesirable impacts on residential property and neighborhoods, and did not protect scenic and natural resource or wildlife corridors. ![]() Concerns include the safety of nearby residents with respect to fire, toxic smoke, and high voltage power lines, the impact to the reservoir holding drinking water for the City of Cambridge, the planned removal of nearly 1,000 trees, protection of surface and groundwater quality, and response issues in the event of an emergency such as a fire. Waltham lost.Īt the hearing last week, every comment from the public, including a number of public officials from Waltham, voiced opposition. The City of Waltham tried to stop the project through litigation in 2019. Opposition and concerns have been voiced by Waltham residents in the abutting neighborhood, the City of Waltham, the Waltham Fire Department, the City of Cambridge, the Lexington Fire Department, the Lexington Tree Committee, and Sustainable Lexington Committee, among others. However, it is hard to find much support for Tracer Lane. A 1-megawatt addition to renewable generation capacity would help. Massachusetts is most likely behind in meeting its renewable generation goals. The world needs more renewable power generation resources like solar and wind to provide the foundation for electrification to get to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It is hard to find anyone who supports the project.Ĭlimate change is real. The project, if realized, would be operated by Solect Energy and connected to Eversource. Developer Harold Nahigian has owned the property for decades and tried in the past to develop an office building on the site. Proposed by a private developer, Tracer Lane II Realty, LLC, the 1-megawatt ground-mounted solar energy system is sited on 30 acres of forested land at the intersection of Route 128/I-95, the Cambridge Reservoir, Lexington conservation land, and a residential neighborhood in Waltham. At a meeting on May 17, the Lexington Planning Board approved the Tracer Lane Solar Project, with significant conditions, by a vote of 4 to 1.
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