Minutes DRAFT
Brookfield Planning Commission
Date: Tuesday, January 12th, 2021
Present:Gwynn Zakov, Chair, Martha Judy, Will White, Tim Gershon, Nancy Jacques
Public Present: Gary Lord, Kevin & Marie Dunwoody, Jim Merriam, Katie Bancroft, Matt Dezan, Ze Andreyevs, Zoe Newmarco, Christina Harlow, Sarah & Nathan Shaw, Aaron Adler, Jon Binhammer
Chair Zakov called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m.
Public to be heard after each topic.
White/Gershon moved to approve minutes from the 12/8/2020 meeting. The minutes were approved unanimously.
The planning commission opened the floor for the two potential nominees for the vacant Planning Commission seat to introduce themselves. Both Christina Harlow and Katie Bancroft provided summary backgrounds and their interest to serve their community. No decision on nomination was made at this meeting.
The planning commission and attendees were walked through a presentation by Jim Merriam of Norwich Solar regarding the preferred site application for 150 kw solar array on Ridge Road property owned by Keith and Chelsea Sprague. This was a Public Utilities Commission application for an issuance of a Certificate of Good for preferred site designation of the solar siting location. Jim Merriam graciously allowed questions throughout the presentation as well as at the conclusion. The Shaw’s provided feedback on their support for the project. Several area residents noted they were not in favor of the project.
White made a motion to accept Norwich Solar’s request to grant preferred siting designation to their proposed 150 kW solar array on Ridge Rd. Also, to encourage the select board to grant preferred siting. We grant this approval with the intention of thoroughly reviewing the projects compliance with town bylaws once the act 248 application and supporting documentation has been submitted to the Public Utilities Commission. With no second the motion failed.
For the next meeting the commission will review Sections 4.13, 4.14, 4.15, and 4.16. As before members will review these sections before the meeting.
No other new/old business was covered.
Next meeting will be February 9th, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.
Due to the late hour the meeting was called to close by Chair Zakov at 9:04 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy Jacques