A solar panel array may be coming to a railway village near you. On Aug. 17, the Boothbay Planning Board hosted a pre-application hearing with Atlantic Environmental of Woolwich regarding building a solar array on the outskirts of Boothbay Railway Village Museum’s property at 586 Wiscasset Road. 

Atlantic Environmental is a consulting firm offering comprehensive regulatory advice, creative solutions to projects, and project management. ReWild Renewables of Yarmouth is charged with constructing the project. Atlantic Environmental Senior Project Manager Lisa Vickers and ReWild Renewables Vice President of Project Development Joe Harrison sought planning board guidance about their proposal. 

The project is called Boothbay Solar, LLC. Vickers reported the company has a 20-year lease with options for additional five-year leases. She estimated the project could last 30 years. “The solar array would be out of sight located in the back in a wooded area. And once the project is built, there would be no noise or traffic, afterwards,” she said. 

Vickers reported Boothbay Solar plans to sell its electricity at a 10-15% discount from what customers typically pay Central Maine Power. She described potential customers as “off-takers,” – municipalities, large companies, and nonprofits. “All of the electricity flows to the grid and customers receive credits,” she said. 

In an Atlantic Environmental letter to the planning board, the project would encompass about eight acres and consist of solar panels that will be “racked on fix tilt racking.” An existing road would be upgraded along with construction of an equipment pad. Area beneath the solar panels will be maintained by a meadow buffer. Atlantic Environmental has conducted a natural resource analysis and included a plan sheet showing the mapped wetlands and streams. 

“The applicant intends to avoid direct impacts to wetlands; however, there will be one stream crossing which will be constructed to (Maine Department of Environmental Protection) DEP and Army Corps of Engineers standards,” wrote Vickers.

Planning Board Chairman Bill Wright said the permit process would go through two steps. The first is a site inventory review which is planned for the September meeting. Step two is reviewing the application.  

In other action, the planning board tabled one application. Applicants John and Sheila Moran of Annapolis, Maryland weren’t available to proceed with their proposal. The Morans want to construct a 14-foot by 17-foot deck onto a non-conforming structure. Their seasonal property is on Ocean Point Road and zoned in a residential district. 

The board conducted a second pre-application hearing. Donald Bartlett of Boothbay sought guidance on his plans to build a garage on his Waterfront Lane South property. His property is zoned in the scenic gateway and resource protection overlay. Bartlett plans on submitting an application at the next meeting.

The board meets next at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21 in the conference room.