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47 <br /> 1 things. Let's put solar collectors atop the shopping centers, the parking lots, businesses, <br /> 2 hospitals, big box stores and factories where they fit best. If Germany can do it, we can too. <br /> 3 <br /> 4 An article in the "News of Orange" on Friday, December 13, 2013 included comments by <br /> 5 some of the County Commissioners in support of enhancing open land in the rural buffer to <br /> 6 make agricultural land more profitable for farmers, using examples such as an ice cream store <br /> 7 placed in the middle of a dairy farm, and a saw mill, a small family thing, but both farther than 40 <br /> 8 feet from homes. Perhaps this meadow is right for something more suitable for a mixed <br /> 9 residential agricultural setting. A power plant occupying 20 acres is neither small nor supportive <br /> 10 of the land or the residents it intrudes upon. <br /> 11 <br /> 12 Finally, my conclusion must be that despite any potential value of solar energy, this is <br /> 13 simply not the place for a power plant. <br /> 14 <br /> 15 David Rooks: Mr. Fox, any questions? <br /> 16 <br /> 17 Michael Fox: I don't have any questions for Mrs. Boggs. <br /> 18 <br /> 19 David Rooks: Carol Blackmore. <br /> 20 <br /> 21 Carol Blackmore: I have been duly sworn in. I am a resident of the Falls of New Hope <br /> 22 Neighborhood. I am opposed to the special use permit under consideration today. <br /> 23 <br /> 24 In regard to this Special Use Permit, I am concerned that the Orange County Planning <br /> 25 Department does not follow its own comprehensive plan objective AE-15 recommendations <br /> 26 which aim to "foster participation and incentives for solar generation in residential or commercial <br /> 27 construction." This goal is not met by this application and should not be cited as a reason to <br /> 28 accept it. <br /> 29 <br /> 30 This proposal is for an industrial scale for profit commercial utility that does not belong in <br /> 31 an agricultural field in a rural buffer zone along the perimeter of an established residential <br /> 32 neighborhood. The applicants own attachment A, Clean Energy Results/Ground Mounted <br /> 33 Solar Photovoltaic Systems, published by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, <br /> 34 Environmental Protection and Clean Energy Center "encourages designating solar installation <br /> 35 locations in industrial and commercial districts or on disturbed land." The Massachusetts DOER <br /> 36 also strongly discourages designating locations that require significant tree cutting, because of <br /> 37 the important water management, cooling, and climate benefits trees have. This project would <br /> 38 cut five acres of trees. Please follow these guidelines and deny this application. <br /> 39 <br /> 40 Orange County Planning Department review of this application also cites "compliance" <br /> 41 with a comprehensive plan objective of"sustainable use of a non-polluting renewable energy <br /> 42 resource." However, this project has nothing to do with how the energy produced would be <br /> 43 used and should not be described as if it did. <br /> 44 <br /> 45 The cited DOER report states that it works to "ensure that solar PC and other clean <br /> 46 energy technologies are sited in a way that minimizes impacts on scenic, natural, and historic <br /> 47 areas." A memo from Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and <br /> 48 Recreation dated February 10, 2013 to the Orange County Planning Department says "The site <br /> 49 plan as now presented appears to locate the majority of the solar panels and the north end of <br /> 50 the property, thereby preserving the open fields and rural character visible from Mount Sinai <br /> 51 Road. The project appears to be consistent with the historic preservation goals in the Orange <br />