At the heart of the meeting was the Brook Street solar base project, which had received conditional approval from the planning board. A comprehensive review, including both an initial assessment and a subsequent field review, led to suggestions for redesigning the system into a detention facility. However, the applicant opted to maintain a sand fill system that also functioned as a detention system. This choice was presented to and agreed upon by the planning board.

The timeline of the review included a response from the applicant on July 15, followed by a planning board meeting on July 17, where the new materials submitted were yet to be approved. Discussions emphasized the need for on-site inspections in the project’s proposal, which Jim confirmed were not initially included. It was noted that someone would need to be responsible for these inspections to ensure the system’s functionality.

A point of discussion was the role of Grasshopper Energy in the project. Amed H from Grasshopper Energy highlighted the need for a proposal for monitoring and necessary scope of work from Weston and Samson, stressing that delays in obtaining such proposals were impacting the project timeline. Public comments raised concerns about maintenance responsibilities, particularly regarding the potential clogging of pipes. Clarification was sought on the financial plan for maintenance, emphasizing that the stormwater maintenance plan would require routine inspections, typically on an annual basis, with the current owner being responsible.

Further concerns were raised by Miss Caledonia about the project’s stabilization status, noting the presence of weeds during previous inspections. The necessity of providing regular reports to the stormwater committee was underscored, with a suggestion to prioritize access to these reports to comply with permit requirements.

The commission also explored the possibility of approving the modification from an infiltration basin to a detention basin, contingent upon final approvals from the planning board and other relevant authorities. The urgency of coordinating efforts among various committees to streamline the approval process was highlighted to avoid further delays.

Mr. Ferry, in his dual roles, initiated a discussion on taking a contingency vote of approval for the project, contingent on the planning board’s final approval on August 27th. The motion was made and seconded, with the committee unanimously approving it, except for one abstention. This allowed the project to progress without the need for the committee to reconvene, provided all conditions were met.

In addition to the Brook Street solar project, the commission discussed the Eman Plumbing building project on Elm Street. The project had seen additional clearing beyond the original plans, necessary for staging materials for a proposed manufactured steel building. The committee confirmed that the cleared area would not involve soil disturbance or bringing in fill and emphasized maintaining existing tree buffers along Elm Street. The need for a stormwater permit was clarified, noting that any disturbance of an acre or more requires a permit, with the town’s threshold set at 35,000 square feet.

The Blue Wave solar project was another point of discussion. The commission had requested calculations to accompany the as-built drawings, which had not yet been received. Alexandria committed to expediting these calculations, as they were necessary for the project’s review. A similar confusion arose regarding the Macs Aroujo project’s calculations, with clarification provided and pending approvals noted for the next meeting.

Jeff Reed addressed drainage issues at his property on Sunny Way, presenting visual evidence of water accumulation due to an ineffective swale. The commission discussed potential solutions, including connecting a catch basin to a subterranean swell, with the HOA consenting to the plan provided they incur no costs. The engineer confirmed no trees would be impacted, and the necessary permits from the Conservation Commission would be filed due to work in a buffer zone.

Further discussions touched on maintenance responsibilities and the importance of proper documentation and approvals for ongoing and future projects. The next meeting was scheduled for September 18, with anticipation for updates on all discussed items. The meeting concluded with a brief reference to a firm in Mansfield fined by the EPA for violating stormwater discharge rules, highlighting the ongoing importance of compliance with stormwater regulations in the region.