Norfolk ZBA delays Pond Street solar modification after residents flag missing fence, runoff and site controls

The Norfolk Zoning Board of Appeals on June 17 continued a hearing on a minor modification to the Pond Street solar project after residents and board members raised safety, erosion and site‑control concerns and asked the developer to demonstrate visible progress.

At the meeting, multiple residents urged immediate installation of a protective perimeter fence, on‑site identification and regular road‑sweeping to stop stones and sediment tracking onto Main Street. “Where’s the fence? Where’s the gate? Where’s the phone number for somebody to call?” one resident asked during public comment.

The applicant’s representative said the project team paused broader construction because of the pending battery‑storage modification: additional conduit, underground work and stormwater changes tied to the battery system could have forced rework or procurement of the wrong equipment. The representative said weekly stormwater inspection reports (SWIPP/SWIP) have been generated and offered to the board for review; neighbors said they had not observed the remediation described in those reports.

Board members and staff said the original building and special permits for the solar field remain in effect and encouraged the applicant to complete work allowed by those permits, particularly grading and vegetation on the back portion of the site, while the battery modification is resolved. Town staff noted limited in‑house inspection capacity (no DPW director, limited building department staffing) and urged the applicant to use third‑party peer review to speed oversight. BSC Group’s on‑record engineer advised the board that the back section toward the police station appears ready for panels and could be completed without depending on the battery modification.

Residents described trucks and rock‑crushing activity, citing traffic backups and dust on Main Street, and linked the current site condition to safety risks for nearby ballfields and children. Several speakers said they were less concerned about the battery itself than about the town’s liability and visible site protections.

The board said it did not oppose the proposed modification on its merits but wanted to see concrete remediation steps before final approval. It voted to continue the Pond Street Solar Project hearing to July 17 at 7:00 p.m. to allow the applicant to install fencing, demonstrate progress on capping and vegetation, and provide documentation (peer‑review results and SWIPP records) showing compliance.

The board asked town staff to coordinate with the applicant and the third‑party reviewer to set weekly inspection expectations and to provide an interim update to the board if material progress is made before the scheduled continuance.