At last week’s Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) meeting, representatives from Verogy, a West Hartford-based company, presented their tentative plans for a 4-megawatt AC/5.2-megawatt DC solar array at the property just east of the town transfer station on Upper Road. The project would provide energy to Eversource over the course of a 20-year contract and, according to Verogy estimates, provide Stafford with an estimated $32,000 per year in tax revenue.
According to town records, the property is 59 acres owned by Edwina Mordasky. The solar array would be on about 14 acres of the property and fenced in with an agricultural fence to keep the sheep that will graze the property in while letting small animals pass through. The sheep are provided by a farmer in Ellington who rotates them around the property to help maintain the site and keep the grass from growing too high. When the commission inquired about possible problems with predators, Verogy said it had not had issues with predators in the past but that if it became a concern, the farmer would bring in a donkey or a llama, both known for helping to protect smaller barnyard animals from predators.
The site was selected because it will not impact wetlands or other sensitive habitats, but stormwater runoff basins designed to comply with DEEP standards will be added.
This is the beginning of a process that is largely out of the hands of Stafford’s PZC. While Verogy was looking for feedback and input from the town, it’s ultimately up to the state’s Siting Council whether or not the solar project can be put there. After the process with the Siting Council is formally begun, a public hearing (often held via Zoom) will give neighbors a chance to provide feedback.
As part of the process, Verogy must provide a decommissioning plan for when the solar panels have outlived their useful life. Dr. Darvid Mordasky, PZC member – and a relative of the property owners – suggested that Verogy move the access road so that it does not run across the remaining farmland, which can still be used for agricultural purposes. Verogy said they would consider it. They also said there will be a 20-foot buffer around the fence and the edge of the property so that there is emergency access all around.
Once the process is more formally underway, more information will be available via the Verogy website as well as on the Siting Council website. Stay tuned for more developments.
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