By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES —The owner of an undeveloped lot between Route 302 and Brandy Pond wants to put in solar energy. 

Naples resident Ann Plummer said that solar energy is the only thing she wants to do with her land.

Plummer’s request to change the lot’s zone from residential to commercial is a Citizens’ Initiativethat will be a warrant article at the Naples Annual Town Meeting on April 24. 

Whether or not to accept the Solar Energy Ordinance is another warrant article that residents will hear.  In fact, the solar energy warrant article will appear first. 

More or less, if the Solar Energy Ordinance is passed, then the zone change could be a moot point. 

It’s all up to the voters.

On Monday, the Naples Board of Selectmen finalized the warrant articles for town meeting.

For the past few meetings, there has been some questions about why at the same time that Plummer was gathering signatures, the Naples Ordinance Review Committee (OCR) was crafting the solar energy amendments.

On Monday night, Naples Town Manager John Hawley outlined the history. 

“The Solar Overlay was voted on and approved at last year’s town meeting,” he said.

The location were specific places like the old gravel-and-sand pit on River Road.  “The Land Use Ordinances did not have an ordinance for solar energy. So we created places in town and created a solar overlay district,” Hawley said. “If you remember there was a race to get it done because the deadline for permits was in July.” 

The idea all along was to create a solar energy ordinancewith more details provided, Hawley said.  

Last fall, when Plummer approached the planning board about her plans to put solar equipment on her acreage, she was told that a solar energy ordinance was being worked on. However, as it stands, solar energy can only be on commercially zoned land. The property Plummer is considering is zoned residential. 

“In September, I went before the planning board [to ask about allowing solar energy]. In the process of doing that, they suggested a citizen’s petitions. I am following what I was asked to do,” Plummer said. 

Naples Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) Renee Carter noted,“In case, the solar proposals didn’t go forward, if her land is commercial it could not have a solar array on it. If the town at town meeting didn’t pass the ordinances, that (Citizens’ Initiative) would allow this property to have solar arrays. It is up to the citizens to decide.” 

“They [the planning board] gave her two choices: either we change the zoning or you change the zoning. A Citizens’ Initiative — that is what she has done,” Carter said.

Chairman Jim Grattelo said he had qualms about allowing a parcel of land overlooking Brandy Pond to be rezoned commercial.

“Once this becomes commercial, is it not just for the solar arrays. She can build a building that is up to 50 feet tall. There could be a variety of things,” he said. 

Bob Caron II added that feasibly a business park could go in given the size of the lot. 

“Once it is zoned commercial, the planning board cannot deny a project allowed in that commercial zone. Whereas the solar projects were specific to solar on that property,” Grattelo said. 

During a meeting on March 15, Plummer said she wanted only solar arrays and she was willing to change the petition, to change the future warrant article, to add that promise of intent. By law, nothing can be added to or subtracted from the language of a Citizens’ Petition because that is what voters put their signature to — the exact wording of the petition. 

There are 19 warrant articles dealing with ordinances. Many of the land-use warrant articles are items that have been streamlined. The proposed solar energy ordinances are separate from other land-use ones. The residents of Naples will have a lot of ordinances to look over and understand before Annual Town Meeting on April 24. 

On the town’s website, there is a draft of the warrant articles. Paper copies will be available at the town office. Also, instead of being displayed at the Naples Public Library, which has restricted hours and limited occupancy, the warrant articles will be displayed on the bulletin boards of grocery or convenience stores.