Citing concerns about views from the Heublein Tower, potential environmental damage and more than $300,000 in unpaid property taxes, Simsbury has successfully asked state regulators for a public hearing on Lodestar Energy’s plan for a solar array on Nod Road. The company is proposing a 4.65-megawatt solar facility on about 19 acres at the former Tower Ridge Country Club. The state Siting Council must decide by June 2 whether to declare the project needs no certificate of environmental compatibility and public need; Lodestar wants that designation because it would streamline the approval process. Simsbury First Selectman Wendy Mackstutis this winter was able to secure a hearing so neighbors and other residents can offer their opinions before the council votes. “As drafted, the application raises serious concerns about potential harm to both the wetlands and the flood zone,” she told the Siting Council in a Dec. 30 letter. “We recommend relocating all development outside these sensitive areas and outside Simsbury’s local Upland Review Area.”
CT town has concerns about planned 4.65-megawatt solar array. A treasured scenic view is one of them
