OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Bourne Planning Board Meeting – September 17, 2025

Planning Board — Wednesday, September 17, 2025
BodyBourne, Massachusetts
SessionPlanning Board
DateWednesday, September 17, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 40:50

Transcript — Verbatim
0:05

7 p.m.

0:07

on Thursday, September 25th, 2025.

0:13

We are here this evening to uh deliberate a number of items on our agenda.

0:20

This uh meeting is also available on Zoom.

0:23

The meeting ID is 8709273 2845.

0:30

The passcode is 140864, and the dial by location is 1929 2056.

0:41

All items within the meeting agenda are subject to deliberation and votes.

0:46

We will call to order this open session, and we will start with the approval of meeting minutes from September 11th, 2025.

0:56

Mr.

0:56

Chairman.

0:58

I have uh one correction to be made on uh page four of the minutes.

1:02

Chris, thank you.

1:03

Uh under five application for site plan review, which is what we're gonna be talking about later.

1:09

The third paragraph down says Mr.

1:12

Farrell confirms that next grid will still own the property.

1:16

MEI will own the array.

1:18

Um I think I asked that question, but I don't think I could confirm it or approve it.

1:23

Right.

1:23

So I think that just needs to be changed.

1:26

I asked the question, but uh Mr.

1:29

Collins um confirmed it.

1:33

Next grid will own the property, MEI will own the array.

1:38

Other than that correction, I'd make a motion to approve two minutes.

1:42

Thank you, Chris.

1:43

Second.

1:44

And so we can change that to Mr.

1:46

Farrell raise the question and Mr.

1:48

Collins confirmed.

1:50

Exactly.

1:51

Thank you.

1:53

And with that correction, I again we have motion seconded.

1:58

Any questions?

2:00

We'll take a vote.

2:03

Yes, Chris?

2:05

Yes, Amanda.

2:07

Yes, Liz?

2:09

Yes.

2:10

Yes, yes, Dan.

2:12

Yes, Corinne.

2:13

Chair votes yes.

2:18

Next up.

2:23

Application for site plan review number 509A.

2:27

This is continued from September 11th, 2025.

2:31

Zero Ernest Valeri Road.

2:33

The application is for the development of a large scale five megawatt ground mounted photovoltaic system with inverter and battery energy storage system, BESS in the solar photovoltaic overlay district and scenic development district.

2:49

Welcome, Dan.

2:50

Hi, uh, thanks for having me.

2:52

Um so again, my name is Daniel Serber.

2:54

I'm the director of development with NextGrid.

2:57

Um about a month ago I came to you guys with a site plan review application for a ground mounted solar facil uh facility at Ernest Valeria Road.

3:06

Um I outlined that project pretty thoroughly a few weeks ago.

3:11

Um so I'm not gonna go into the details unless you guys would like me to.

3:14

I'm just gonna go over the few changes we made since our last meeting.

3:18

Um we only got a couple comments from you guys that needed to be changed.

3:21

So uh the most important change we made is we had a gravel road going throughout the entire property.

3:27

We have changed um to the equipment pads, we've changed that to uh paved asphalt, um, which complies uh with with the bylaw that mostly addressing loading areas and uh parking spaces, but for this case, this is gonna be the only area on the site that'll have any traffic.

3:45

It's the only place that will have a an arc that could potentially cause any kind of uh fire issue.

3:52

Um the rest of the site has has no greater of uh fire risk with the system than than without it.

3:58

So um, so we were happy to add that.

4:01

Um we got another comment about screening trees that the Larusso family had planted some years ago, uh a layer of pines.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Energy Management█████████████████████████████████████████41%
Public Safety███████████████████████████████31%
Land Use Planning██████████████████████22%
Procedural██████6%
Summary of Proceedings

Bourne Planning Board Meeting (September 17, 2025)

The Bourne Planning Board met to deliberate and vote on several agenda items, including site plan review and special permits for solar energy facilities at 0 Ernest Valeri Road and 665 Scenic Highway. The meeting was held in-person and via Zoom. All votes were unanimous.

Approval of Minutes

  • The minutes from September 11, 2025 were approved with a correction: on page four, Mr. Farrell’s question about property ownership was clarified (NextGrid owns the property, MEI owns the array). The motion carried unanimously.

Discussion Items

Site Plan Review #509A – 0 Ernest Valeri Road (Solar & BESS)

  • Applicant Daniel Serber (NextGrid) presented two changes since the previous meeting: (1) equipment pads changed from gravel to paved asphalt to comply with fire safety; (2) confirmation that a row of pine trees planted by the Larusso family would be preserved except for approximately 10 trees removed for the access road. The limit of grading was discussed; the board requested notification if the limit changes.
  • A significant discussion occurred regarding emergency contact information. The board noted that for a previous project (665 Scenic Highway), such information had not been filed. The board conditioned that before a building permit is issued for 0 Ernest Valeri, the applicant must also provide emergency contact and response information for 665 Scenic Highway. The applicant agreed and noted an October 2 meeting with the fire chief would address the outstanding items.
  • The decommissioning bond estimate ($142,600 + 2% inflation for 20 years = $211,879) was discussed. The board requested an updated estimate prepared by a qualified engineer prior to building permit issuance, to be reviewed by the planning department and a planning board representative.
  • The motion to approve included 30 conditions as read, with amendments: condition 27 (recording site plan review) was removed because it applies to special permits only; condition 30 was added requiring a temporary construction sign with emergency contacts at the entrance. The vote was unanimous (6-0).

Special Permit #15-2025 – 0 Ernest Valeri Road (Gravel Road Alternative Surfacing)

  • The applicant requested a special permit under §3332 for a gravel access road and perimeter road for the solar facility. The board found the design (12" crushed stone over geotextile, compacted borrow, armored swale) acceptable and noted that the equipment pads had been paved, minimizing the need for the special permit. Motion to approve with five conditions, including recording at the Registry of Deeds. Vote: unanimous (6-0).

Special Permit #14-2025 – 665 Scenic Highway (Gravel Road Alternative Surfacing)

  • This was a follow-up for an existing solar facility. Board member Farrell observed the gravel road in good condition and the repaired retaining wall with riprap. The applicant confirmed that emergency response contact information had been provided to the fire chief and building commissioner. Motion to approve with five conditions. Vote: unanimous (6-0).

Key Outcomes

  • Site Plan Review #509A (0 Ernest Valeri): Approved with 29 conditions (as amended). Unanimous.
  • Special Permit #15-2025 (0 Ernest Valeri gravel road): Approved with five conditions. Unanimous.
  • Special Permit #14-2025 (665 Scenic Highway gravel road): Approved with five conditions. Unanimous.
  • The board also discussed improving the efficiency of decision language by referencing zoning bylaw sections rather than repeating text.
  • Meeting adjourned unanimously.

Meeting Transcript

7 p.m. on Thursday, September 25th, 2025. We are here this evening to uh deliberate a number of items on our agenda. This uh meeting is also available on Zoom. The meeting ID is 8709273 2845. The passcode is 140864, and the dial by location is 1929 2056. All items within the meeting agenda are subject to deliberation and votes. We will call to order this open session, and we will start with the approval of meeting minutes from September 11th, 2025. Mr. Chairman. I have uh one correction to be made on uh page four of the minutes. Chris, thank you. Uh under five application for site plan review, which is what we're gonna be talking about later. The third paragraph down says Mr. Farrell confirms that next grid will still own the property. MEI will own the array. Um I think I asked that question, but I don't think I could confirm it or approve it. Right. So I think that just needs to be changed. I asked the question, but uh Mr. Collins um confirmed it. Next grid will own the property, MEI will own the array. Other than that correction, I'd make a motion to approve two minutes. Thank you, Chris. Second. And so we can change that to Mr. Farrell raise the question and Mr. Collins confirmed. Exactly. Thank you. And with that correction, I again we have motion seconded. Any questions? We'll take a vote. Yes, Chris? Yes, Amanda. Yes, Liz? Yes. Yes, yes, Dan. Yes, Corinne. Chair votes yes. Next up. Application for site plan review number 509A. This is continued from September 11th, 2025. Zero Ernest Valeri Road. The application is for the development of a large scale five megawatt ground mounted photovoltaic system with inverter and battery energy storage system, BESS in the solar photovoltaic overlay district and scenic development district. Welcome, Dan. Hi, uh, thanks for having me. Um so again, my name is Daniel Serber. I'm the director of development with NextGrid. Um about a month ago I came to you guys with a site plan review application for a ground mounted solar facil uh facility at Ernest Valeria Road.

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