Planning Board continues solar canopy hearing

Planning Board · Meeting of April 7, 2026

HAMILTON — The Hamilton Planning Board voted 7-0 to continue a hearing on a Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School solar canopy after lighting concerns surfaced. Select Energy representative John DeMonica said the 250-kilowatt project, under a 25-year power purchase agreement at about 9.2 cents per kilowatt-hour, would save the school district a projected $1.7 million. Abutter Ann Giroux of 821 Bay Road said proposed fixtures ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 Kelvin exceeded the 2,700 Kelvin ceiling recommended by Dark Sky International and the American Medical Society.

Board member Jonathan Poore said "a better strategy is to start off with good cutoff angles and a good luminaire selection." The board also approved, 7-0 each, an "approval not required" subdivision at 130 Essex Street, a stormwater review for 3 Spingler Drive, and a preliminary three-lot subdivision at 10 Meyer Lane. The solar hearing resumes April 28.

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Source: the Planning Board meeting of April 7, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.