Politics & Government

Citizen's Petition Prompts Special Town Meeting

The petitioners seek a moratorium on approving solar farms until May 1, 2014.

Northborough will have a special town meeting because a citizen's petition request was filed with Town Clerk Andrew Dowd on Monday.

By consensus, selectmen agreed on Monday night to have the meeting on Monday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. at Algonquin Regional High School. Town Administrator John Coderre recommended the date. He said state law requires selectmen to hold a special town meeting within 45 days of the petition's filing. The 45th day would be Halloween, in this case, Coderre said.

The petitioners, led by Moore Lane resident Gregory Roody, seek a moratorium on approving on-site solar photovoltaic systems and ground mounted solar photovoltaic systems -- solar farms -- until May 1, 2014.

Northborough lacks zoning restrictions on solar farms, the petition states.

"The purpose of this moratorium is to allow the planning board sufficient time to engage in a planning process to address the effects of such structures and uses in the town and to enact bylaws at the April 2014 town meeting in a manner consistent with sound land use planning goals and objectives," the petition states.

A proposed zoning bylaw amendment is attached to the petition.

Coderre said the petition exceeded the required 200 signatures of registered voters. 

Selectmen will vote on Oct. 7 to close the warrant, and execute it, he said.

In a memo to selectmen and Coderre on Monday, Dowd outlined the timeline leading to the town meeting, as required by Northborough's bylaws.

The warrant will be posted on Oct. 11, Dowd wrote. That day, Dowd also will mail a special town meeting notice to each household.

The town clerk's office will hold a voter registration for the special town meeting from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18.

The special town meeting will cost Northborough about $5,000, Dowd wrote.



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