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Record of Proceedings

Claremont Planning Board Meeting Summary - May 26, 2026

Planning Board — Tuesday, May 26, 2026
BodyClaremont, New Hampshire
SessionPlanning Board
DateTuesday, May 26, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:21:29

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0:02

Okay.

0:02

All right.

0:03

Welcome to uh polling board meeting.

0:06

Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

0:10

Can I have a roll call, please?

0:12

Egan Burdett.

0:13

Jonathan Nelson.

0:14

Here.

0:14

Gene Michael Sandborn.

0:15

Yeah.

0:16

Rich Worleg.

0:16

Here.

0:17

Bruce Colonel.

0:18

Yeah.

0:18

Max Allen Jake and all defends.

0:20

Yeah.

0:20

Nancy Beats?

0:21

Yeah.

0:21

Deborah Mattel.

0:22

Yeah.

0:22

Nicholas Koloski.

0:24

Here.

0:25

All right.

0:26

Review of previous minutes.

0:30

Uh for a meeting May 11th, 2026.

0:34

Motion to approve is presented.

0:36

Do I have a second?

0:37

Second.

0:38

Any discussion?

0:41

All those in favor say aye.

0:43

Aye.

0:43

Aye.

0:44

And minutes pass.

0:49

On to uh the public hearing.

0:52

PL 2026 0006.

0:57

Care Sodge, Claremont Solar LLC, Austin Mass application for a conditional use permit for a large commercial solar array at South Intersection of River Road and Elevent Hill.

1:14

X map 186, lot 18, Zone District I3.

1:20

What do you have?

1:22

Before I begin because this is an application for a conditional use permit and site plan approval.

1:27

You may have noticed I've consolidated my setup 451 document.

1:30

Stable of contents on the first page.

1:33

I recommend that we discuss, let the applicant speak, and then go through the conditional use permit and then site plan approval using the backup.

1:43

Okay.

1:44

So the subject property is a triangular parcel between River Road and Calavant Hill Road on the Claremont Charlestown board.

1:50

The included site planning indicates a total lot area of 12.39 acres, while Claremont's vision database indicates an acreage of 13.5.

1:59

The parcel is almost entirely farmland with moderate density tree covering closing all three sides.

2:05

The parcel is entirely within the I-3 industrial district, but about the I-1 district across River Road and Charlestown Zone E or Mixed Use District.

2:15

I provided the definitions of the Industry District 3 and Charlestown Zoe E.

2:20

The purpose of the Industry District 3 is to provide a transition zone between the uses permitted under the chapter in industry districts 1 and 2 and residential uses.

2:33

So-called smokestack industry is expressly prohibited.

2:37

And zone E of Charlestown is designated as all other land and water areas within the town of Charlestown not otherwise zoned.

2:44

Planning development department files on this property indicate a past site plan for a recycling facility on the law.

2:49

The local knowledge confirmed that the project never moved forward and in fact went forward in a different location for reviews.

2:57

The applicant is proposing the creation of a.814 megawatt AC ground-mounted solar energy system intended for inclusion in the New Hampshire Community Solar Program.

3:07

The total site disturbance is planned to be approximately 7.42 acres with a 1.13 acre footprint for the solar array modules themselves.

3:16

The project meets the definition of a large commercial solar array, defined in the Claremont Zoning Ordinance as a use of land that consists of one or more freestanding ground-mounted solar collection systems with a rated nameplate capacity of between 100 kilowatt AC and 5 megawatt AC.

3:33

That is between 1 and 25 acres in solar land coverage.

3:37

Large commercial solar is permitted in the I-3 district with a solar conditional use permit and site plan approval from the planning board.

3:44

The applicant has thus provided both applications for planning board review tonight.

3:48

The applicant has provided the city and the planning board with a substantial application packet that addresses the review criteria of the applications before the board.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning and Land Use█████████████████████████████████████████41%
Technology and Innovation█████████████████17%
Environmental Protection██████████10%
Planning and Development████████8%
Public Engagement██████6%
Solar Energy██████6%
Economic Development████4%
Engineering And Infrastructure████4%
Procedural███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Claremont Planning Board Meeting - May 26, 2026

The Claremont Planning Board met on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, to consider two applications from Kearsarge Claremont Solar LLC for a large commercial solar array at the intersection of River Road and Calavant Hill Road (Map 186, Lot 18, Zone I-3). The board approved a conditional use permit and site plan review after a public hearing, discussion, and vote. Other business included updates on prior projects, appointment of a new RPC commissioner, and discussion of future solar energy policy.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the minutes of the May 11, 2026 meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Robert Norman, an abutter from the Charlestown side, expressed concern that the solar project would devalue his property (appraised at $400,000) and requested compensation. The board noted it cannot award financial compensation but that the review criteria address impacts on abutting properties.

Discussion Items: Conditional Use Permit (PL 2026-00006) and Site Plan Review (PL 2026-00007)

  • The applicant, Kearsarge Energy (Boston), presented a 0.814 MW AC ground-mounted solar array on a 12.39–13.5 acre triangular parcel. The project is designed for New Hampshire’s Community Solar Program and will include fixed-tilt panels, a gravel access road, perimeter fence (7 ft high with 6-inch wildlife gap), five new utility poles, and two stormwater detention ponds.
  • Staff review confirmed the project meets I-3 district zoning requirements; no wetlands or vernal pools exist on site. The fire department required access, a Knox box, and a vegetation management plan.
  • Board members asked about the PILOT agreement, project lifespan (25 years), decommissioning and bonding, glare analysis, and pollinator seed mix. The applicant agreed to provide a decommissioning plan and bond.
  • Board discussion covered compatibility with the industrial zone, visual screening, and the preservation of existing tree buffers. The board found the project appropriate for the location.
  • A motion to approve the conditional use permit was passed unanimously with conditions: substantial conformance with application, obtain all permits, valid for two years, compliance with zoning ordinance.
  • Subsequently, a motion to approve site plan review was passed unanimously with conditions: substantial conformance with site plan dated 5/1/2026, obtain permits, provide Mylar copies within six months.

Other Business & Updates

  • Planning and Development Director Austin provided updates: (1) Attempted to contact an abutter from a prior hearing regarding a traffic advisory committee driveway denial; still willing to work with the abutter. (2) Conducted a site walk at the future West Central Behavioral Health Facility; determined that most trees along the buffer need removal due to overgrowth, with reasonable decisions made regarding tree removal.
  • The board recommended Gina Gavin, the new Planning Director, for the open Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission (RPC) commissioner seat. The motion passed unanimously. The RPC meets six times per year and advises on regional issues.
  • Board member Bruce raised concerns about solar arrays taking over industrial land needed for future business development, suggesting a need to update zoning regulations. Discussion ensued about incorporating this into the upcoming Master Plan process rather than piecemeal amendments. The board agreed to revisit the topic as part of the Master Plan update.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved Conditional Use Permit PL 2026-00006 for Kearsarge Claremont Solar LLC (unanimous) with conditions.
  • Approved Site Plan Review PL 2026-00007 for the same project (unanimous) with conditions.
  • Recommended Gina Gavin for RPC commissioner seat (unanimous).
  • Future discussion on solar energy policy will be considered during the Master Plan update process.

Meeting Transcript

Okay. All right. Welcome to uh polling board meeting. Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Can I have a roll call, please? Egan Burdett. Jonathan Nelson. Here. Gene Michael Sandborn. Yeah. Rich Worleg. Here. Bruce Colonel. Yeah. Max Allen Jake and all defends. Yeah. Nancy Beats? Yeah. Deborah Mattel. Yeah. Nicholas Koloski. Here. All right. Review of previous minutes. Uh for a meeting May 11th, 2026. Motion to approve is presented. Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. And minutes pass. On to uh the public hearing. PL 2026 0006. Care Sodge, Claremont Solar LLC, Austin Mass application for a conditional use permit for a large commercial solar array at South Intersection of River Road and Elevent Hill. X map 186, lot 18, Zone District I3. What do you have? Before I begin because this is an application for a conditional use permit and site plan approval. You may have noticed I've consolidated my setup 451 document. Stable of contents on the first page. I recommend that we discuss, let the applicant speak, and then go through the conditional use permit and then site plan approval using the backup. Okay. So the subject property is a triangular parcel between River Road and Calavant Hill Road on the Claremont Charlestown board. The included site planning indicates a total lot area of 12.39 acres, while Claremont's vision database indicates an acreage of 13.5. The parcel is almost entirely farmland with moderate density tree covering closing all three sides. The parcel is entirely within the I-3 industrial district, but about the I-1 district across River Road and Charlestown Zone E or Mixed Use District. I provided the definitions of the Industry District 3 and Charlestown Zoe E. The purpose of the Industry District 3 is to provide a transition zone between the uses permitted under the chapter in industry districts 1 and 2 and residential uses. So-called smokestack industry is expressly prohibited.

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