is not coming. >> Of course, Norin's not here. I'm sorry. I'm going to stop the recording. Resume re recording. Uh, well, I hope I recorded it the right the right way. Okay, here we are. This is the November 19th meeting of the board
of health and we are all here. Um, and we also have some guests, John Thompson and Rebecca Phil. And I know that John Thompson wants to talk about 258 Pelum Hill Road. So, John, why don't
you speak your piece? >> Thanks. I'll uh take a minute to introduce myself. I'm uh John Thompson. I'm a retired carpenter and custom home builder. I'm also a retired uh building
inspector and health inspector and senior code enforcement for the town of Ammerst. I am a town a retired town volunteer. I've spent 30 years volunteering on uh either the planning board or the zoning board of appeals or
both. Um and am no longer doing either of those things. Um I live at 266 Pelum Hill Road. Um, I've lived on this road for 40 years. And I live next door to 258, which has been a problem for quite
a while and is now, um, sort of, um, accelerated. Um, the fellow that lived there, um, you know, the way he handled his trash was he just threw it out in the backyard and, um, every five years
or so, he would get a 30 yard dumpster and fill it up and start again. And lately, um, there's been no 30-yard dumpster and the trash has just accumulated. And, um, you know, in the spring, I I
patrol the border between the two and animals would get into it and drag it over into my onto my property and and, um, I just, you know, dealt with it that way. Um, I didn't, um, go over and have a
conversation with him during the time he was there, mainly because there would be random gunfire over there and I didn't want to take that on, you know, right? >> I'm not the kind of person who rats out my neighbors. I I go over and have a
conversation. That's that's how I usually start. And and as a code enforcement officer, I would often encourage that of people. Did you talk to your neighbor yet? Um, so, uh, lately, um, I saw a big moving van at the house and I did go over and talk to
him and asked about, you know, the state of affairs on the property and he said that he was about to um, uh, close on a deal with a house flipper and the that would be happening on October 1st. This was midepptember, I
guess. and um the house flipper would clean up all of that. And um here we're in the middle of November and you know, nothing's happened. The house hasn't changed hands. Um I've been watching the um you know, u registry of deeds and and
and nothing's happened. It's still in his name. Um it's it's just an incredible eyesore and um it's out of control. So, uh, I know as a code enforcement officer what there are some tools available and
wondered about whether we might, um, avail ourselves of them here in Shootsbury. I don't know who does code enforcement for you. I assume it's a circuit writer um, you know, who took
Charlie Kicki's job um, in Ammerst. I did it and um I issued orders to correct. I cited the building code or the health code or the zoning code, whatever was appropriate, sometimes all
three. And if I didn't get um you know, the problem cleared up in whatever the specified time was, I I wrote tickets. They were noncriminal disposition tickets. They were $100 a day. Um, the biggest fine I collected while I
was there was $23,000. >> Whoa. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Let me tell you what I know. >> All right. >> Um, first of all, the place has been the place has had um, you know, from the street inspection because you, as you
know, the inspector can't go on the property, but it's all quite visible from the road. Um, and issued a cleanup order. >> Okay. So that has gone out. >> When did that happen? >> Uh just in the last couple of days. >> Okay.
>> I can I can find the exact date for you, but it was like >> that's fine. What's the on it? >> Right. So from the sounds of this person, I don't have great hopes that he's actually going to comply with the order. Um,
however, I have spoken um on the phone, not not this week, but maybe two weeks ago with the um and before I heard from you, so I didn't know about the problem. Um, but I talked to the person who's interested in buying it and he was um he
was organizing a title five inspection of the septic system. >> Um, and I think that's what's standing be between him and buying the property. He wants that first. And I have not yet seen the report, so I don't know if it's happened, but
>> the leechfield's pretty new. Clark's put it in when this guy bought the place. >> When was that? Do you remember? >> That's within the last 10 years. >> Okay, I can find that out. Well, yeah, it should be. I I I imagine that it's not going to be a problem and then the
sale will go through, I think. Um, so it may be that this is all going to work itself out in the next few weeks. Um, I don't know. >> Let's keep our fingers crossed. I I have a hard time um,
you know, imagining that things just work themselves out because they often don't. So, um, but it sounds like yes, may maybe this will happen. Uh yeah, since I mean since the guy is gone, since the place is for sale, since there is an interested buyer and that buyer is
interested enough to take on uh getting and paying for the Title 5 inspection himself, um it seems like there's a good chance that he is going to acquire this place. >> Great. >> And clean it up himself. >> Um if not, um we can take further
measures. I don't know that we have the the ability at this point to issue noncriminal tickets. I think that >> No, you have the town has to approve that, >> right? And we haven't we haven't done that. >> What's the timeline on the um cleanup
order? >> Well, let me let me check that. Um I'm guessing Oh, that's the wrong thing. Sorry. Um well, let's just see. Oops. Sorry. Something weird just happened.
Okay. the or the the the date on the order is um the 17th which was Monday and >> 30 days. >> 30 days. Okay. Okay. And was she cited what? 410570. Maintenance of areas and
and um sanitary and safe conditions. >> Yes. >> Okay. Um great. Thanks for your attention to this. Thank you board for listening to my tale of woe. Um >> thank you for bringing this to our attention because we were not aware of it.
>> Sorry. I uh I hate to do it but this it's it's out of control over there. >> No, no. you did the right thing and I I appreciate you bringing it to our attention. >> Great. Thank you. >> Okay. Thanks. Good night. >> Thank you. >> Hey, John. >> Yeah.
>> My name's D My name is Dave Hansen. I log on with uh Rebecca Phil's um computer. I live at 373 Pel Road. Um I I appreciate you bringing that up. I've >> You have to drive by it every day, too,
huh? Well, all night every day, but I'm definitely concerned about it myself and of course I remember the people that lived there. Um yeah, it's a disgrace. Uh would be happy to help if I can. >> I um you know got noticed this week that
my property taxes are going up and I'm thinking really has the value of my house gone up with this thing next door? I think not. Anyway, thank you. >> Thanks, John. So, is that what you came for?
Hansen person. I forgot your first name. >> My name is David Hansen. Yeah, you know my name Joan. Yeah, >> right. David. Okay. So, you came you came to talk about that or something else? >> Uh uh I c I came for no reason. I was interested to hear about that and I'm
just gonna just listen. That's all. >> Okay, that's fine. I'm gonna I'm gonna rename you David Hansen on here so that we have a good record of who was here >> and Rebecca's right here >> about that. Thank you. Oh, Rebecca's there, too.
>> Oh, yeah. >> I'm here. >> Oh, okay. Well, then I won't change it. I'll just I'll just add your name. We have to keep a record of who comes to the meeting. >> Thank you. >> Okay. All right. On to other business. No, I look at on the wrong page. Oh,
let's um let's approve the minutes of the last meeting or not. >> I'll move to approve. Garrett >> second. Whim. >> Okay. Any uh any discussion of the
minutes or changes that you'd like to see? >> No. >> Okay. How about a vote? All in favor? Garrett? >> Yes. >> Arlene? Yes. >> Norin. >> Yes. >> Whim. >> Yes.
>> Cat. Yes. Okay. There we go. We've talked about 258. Um I do not have I don't have a review of this, but I would like to go for us to go ahead and um
uh approve a future disposal works construction permit for 84 Lake Drive. It's being designed by Ellen Weiss and it's going to be a tight tank. Um, Mike Thorough is meant to be um
reviewing the plan, but I haven't had a memo from him yet saying that we can go ahead and and um approve it. Um, what I would like to do is what we often do. um have you vote to
authorize me to issue the permit once we have all the pieces put together, the the applica, the signed application, the fee, and a note from Mike Zoro saying that the plan is good. >> I'm sorry. Where is 84 Lake Drive, Cat?
Well, it's about it's pretty far down to the south. >> It's on I'm pretty sure it's on the water side. Yeah, it's on the water side. >> And is it a new Titanic? Do you know?
Has there been anything there before? >> I believe there has been a um a conventional system there. Hang on and find out. All it says on the application is tight tank plan for Oh, let's see. Here's the
I've got the the plan. pump and replace with 3,000 G. Okay. So, there is an existing system that's being replaced. >> Okay. >> I don't I don't know how that came about. I haven't heard the story of I
mean, did they have a a problem? Are they having a title five and and um selling and discovered the problem? It's actually how it usually goes. Let me see who this is. >> Is it Pickering by any chance? Maybe it's Pickerings.
But they would have room for a conventional system, I would think. But >> Right. Yeah. You're you're thinking of that one that was um >> Yeah. >> Um they're rehabbing. >> Uh
huh. The Titan plan is owned by Greenfield Savings Bank. >> Interesting. Okay. All right. >> Yeah. So, it doesn't say uh who the Okay. >> the owner is. I can find that out. immediately problem.
>> Yeah. >> If I do happen to be called upon to issue the permit between now and the next our next meeting, I'll I'll let you know
everything that I find out. >> That's great. Um, >> so do you want to give me this authorization or not? I move that we do so. >> A second,
Norine. >> Okay. Any discussion? Any concerns? Hearing none. All in favor? Arlene, >> yes. >> Win, >> yes. >> Garrett, >> yes. >> Norin, >> yes. >> Chad, yes. Okay. If that comes to me, I
will issue it and if not, we'll get to it in December. Um, I have not received all the paperwork yet and so I haven't um uh issued it, but I am very pleased to tell you that we are soon going to be issuing a
certificate of compliance for the septic system at the new library. >> Yay. >> Yeah, things are really moving along there. Um, and big news they hired that guy for the health
agent. >> Yeah, great. >> Finally, they I just got notified today um that he's basically starting this week and he's starting to be trained and they're already starting to, you know, schedule his time so they can send him on different
>> operations. What's his name? >> His name is David Gillis. >> David Gillis. Mhm. I'll send around his contact information >> and I'll invite him to one of our meetings so that you can get to know him and um
we can also uh try to get some of his time for us to um to come and see the town and see what's what and um and uh you know just get familiar with our our
needs here. >> Good. >> So, I haven't meg or Norin, I haven't talked to Meg yet, and I'm glad I haven't because it's a whole new game. To >> tell you the truth, I was kind of hoping that this was going to fall through and we could just join the collaborative.
>> Um, David is being um hired on a one-year trial period. So, we'll see. We'll see. There was some talk about about Ashefield joining the district. Um,
which would change all the equations. Um, and if that happens, that might leave us a little more leeway to think about dropping out >> and going with the collaborative instead. But, you know, I did kind of commit us to this because I didn't
because joining the collaborative in that kind of way wasn't an option when we started this search. So, we're kind of stuck with it for now, but we'll see what happens. I'll call Meg tomorrow or at least send her an email and let her know what's going on. >> Well, a year sounds reasonable, too, to
get a sense of how he does and how quickly he um, you know, learns all the ropes and that sort of thing, how he interfaces with people in the town. >> Yeah. Yeah. he felt that he was going to be able to get up to speed fairly quickly because he's got a lot of
doesn't have public health experience, but he has sort of public health adjacent experience um in the private sector. So, we'll see. And probably probably we'll be scheduling a a district meeting soon so that we can meet him. And of
course, if anybody wants to come to one of those meetings, they are welcome to do so. Another little thing that's on my mind is I keep forgetting about this, the annual report. They're telling us they want the annual report by Friday. So,
I've gone back into the old minutes and I've looked at all the minutes from from July 1st of what 204 to to June 30th of this year.
Can it be that we really haven't hardly done anything in all that time? >> It seemed to me that like there's nothing. I mean, it's just there isn't any big thing. There aren't any big projects or or things going on. It's
very I mean, that's kind of why I haven't been able to write it because there sort of isn't anything to say. >> This is just an idea. K. Can we um ask uh Sarah to help us in terms of what she's doing? She's been doing quite a
few things. >> That's true. That's true. We can I'll I'll ask her for sort of a list of things. >> Yeah. And maybe going back to like the uh board of health town announce things that we put out because that
would contain a lot of what Sarah's been working on. Mhm. >> That's a good point. And also some of the things that we've been doing. Okay. I'll uh I'll do both of those things and uh and write up something, but it's not going
to be it's not going to be great. >> There's always the beavers. We could >> had to bring that up, didn't you, Garrett? >> Right. Yeah. We don't even want to talk about them. Um yeah, the it seems to me the only thing
we did during that period um was um to deny the uh Connie bear trapping permit, which I now regret. But yeah,
>> I think the town announce could be a good source of information for for that report. That's a good That's a really good idea. I didn't think of that. The minutes just didn't really turn up anything.
>> It's the postcoavid doldrums. >> We needed a rest. >> They've been going on for a while because I noticed I read last year's report and it said that it had been really quiet and we were glad of it because of all the work we had to do during co then what's our excuse this
year? um if anybody thinks of anything like in the next, you know, 48 hours um that they think should be included, please just send me an email and I'll put it in. But, you know, by the time by the time
we get around to doing the report, the beginning of the report period is so distant. I mean, even looking at the minutes, it's it's not that great. So before we get down to the the big thing, are there any things that you guys want
to bring up? Any reports or or gossip or any other thing that we should be thinking about? Anything at the collaborative? Anything at MAFCO?
Sounds like not >> Oh, you know, I sent you some pictures on board health cat. We could put some pictures in that the annual report of what's, you know, what's been going on at the collaborative. >> Oh, yeah. That's true. I don't think I don't think they can do pictures. >> Okay.
>> It's fairly they've got fairly strict um guidelines about what it has to look at. Has to be certain font, a certain size. Anyway, I'll just follow up quickly with because last time I had talked about um resigning from the Western Mass Homeland
Security Council, which I have done and um Ryan Paxton, who was the director of public health in Monagu is and is now going to Long Meadow. I talked to him. Nobody here seemed to be terribly
enthusiastic about joining, which is fine, but he was interested. He's a young public health person. He's um you know he's quite savvy, quite tactful. He's worked with Garrett too on Mafco. Um and so I recommended you know that
they consider thinking about him for the council. >> So So we're not required to send a a rep. >> No, no, no. It's it's anybody who's interested in public health from the four western counties of Massachusetts. So it's Hampshire, Hampton,
um Franklin, Burke, Birkshshire. >> Uhhuh. >> So it's quite, you know, draws from quite a large area. >> Uh and both both myself, I was the alternative and both the uh the person who was the number one public health representative is also resigning. So
they they >> Yeah. >> Well, well, they'll have to start over. Well, thank you for your labors on that in the in the past. You're welcome. >> Do appreciate that. Anything else
from anybody? All right, let's talk a little bit about a red. I don't know if you have seen it, but a little while ago I sent you um an outline
>> um which is just basically form, you know, just basically the form that we would need to to use. I don't know if anybody has had a chance to look much at the model zoning bylaw that we got from from this is
the EO I guess. >> So I mean there's a lot of stuff in there that that we can that we can use >> for for our thing. But, uh, the outline that I sent to you, um, I've basically
tried to just set up some of the categories of things that we need to fill in. You know, there's a section on where we explain our authority, right? What's our authority for having this regulation? Then we have our findings and our purpose. Um, and then we have a
definition section, a lot of which we can take from that that model bylaw. Um, and you know, the permit requirements and whatnot. Um, that's all form and I'm hoping that I can at some point, maybe
not this week, but maybe next week or next time, um, um, kind of share that out, right? you know, somebody could copy in the authority section some from say the Wendell um bylaw and you know,
somebody could um uh collect the appropriate definitions from the model bylaw and put those in um so that we could kind of share out the the work on this. Um >> now as far as the content goes
um I have had some thoughts about content and they are in the list under general requirements. I don't know if you guys are looking at this. Do you want me to to find it and share screen or what?
>> I've got it up. I'm looking at it as you speak. >> Would Would it be helpful if I if I shared my screen? >> Yes. Okay. All right. I will I will endeavor to do that. That's not doing it.
Okay. Now, how do I do it? share. Okay. Can you see that? >> Yes. >> All right. So, so the part that I wanted to kind of look at at this point is this
one called general requirements. So, and it seems to me that some of this stuff, I mean, we've looked, for example, at the the Wendle Rag, and it seems like it doesn't really get down to the nitty-gritty of some of these
things. So, so I am thinking that if you if you know the zoning districts in the comparatively new zoning bylaw, there is the Lake Wyola district, the town center district, and there are
there's a sort of a scattered forest conservation district. Everything else is called, I think, roadside residential. I think that we should prohibit
these installations in Lake Wyola Town Center and forest conservation. Um the purpose of those forest conservation districts, I understand, is to is to protect habitat and um
sort of travel areas, right, for wildlife. I also think that we should not allow them in the watersheds of drinking water reservoirs. And um uh actually I went to the Concom meeting last week and um Beth Wilson pointed out
that and we have we have you know we have that big parcel on uphill of 202 that's about 2500 acres and it's owned by DCR and it's watershed protection for the Quabin. Beth pointed out that there is also a watershed
protection area for Atkins Reservoir on the other end of town. Um, and I'm going to get a map or something from her to to identify that. But my thought is that um those are places where it would be inappropriate to site one of these these
things. And then there's all all the obvious setbacks from wells and property lines and septic systems and wetlands and of surface waters and so on. All of which we have to work out the details of. We don't have
well we might have some some help in this model bylaw. Um I think that we should stipulate that they're just not allowed to use on-site water for ongoing
cooling. So, so it's one thing to maybe fill up the cooling system with water one time or even a second time if they have to, but um to constantly be drawing and then
dumping water from uh from the ground I think should simply be not permitted. Um I think that we should put a size limit on it. They apparently the sizes are called aggregate energy capacity and
they come in megawatt hours. Um I believe that the system that's attached to the wheelock uh solar uh installation over on Pratt Corner Road is like four megawatt hours and I think that is
considered like a small to medium. Um, but that's another thing that we would need to determine the what's the what's the maximum size in megawatt hours and what's the maximum footprint.
Um, I think that we should require um the safest possible batteries. um the ones that that um are subject to to um catching on fire um should just
not be required. Um there could be I know that there are some alternatives and it seems to me that we could write the rag in such a way that um we sort of leave it open. We wouldn't
say you have to use this particular kind of battery, but we could say which batteries are not acceptable and we could have some kind of encouragement if not requirement to have the safest possible battery that's
available commercially. Um, we would want to, as Wendell did, prohibit PAS containing materials. We would need noise baffling and um prevention of
light pollution, right? Most of these things or some of those things are in the the window rag. So that's where I see us being right now. Your thoughts.
So that would only leave if you exclude those other zoning districts that only leaves what you referred to as res roadside residential. >> Yes. And that is in fact most of the town. I mean it's a except except for
that one big parcel. Um it's a lot. Let me see if I can if I can find that for you. Um let's see. How can I do this? I'm going to go to the shoots
thing. Um, loving Lord. >> Now, are you still seeing the screen? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, so here's the zoning map. Um,
so >> we we still only the outline. >> I'm Oh, you still have the outline. Okay, let me change it. Um, how do you do this? Actually, I was wrong about that. There's an awful lot of forest
conservation district. So, that's that's not going to be that's not going to work out. Um, oh, here I'll stop sharing and then I'll start sharing the other page now. Do you see the map >> on its way? Yep.
>> Okay. So, yeah. So, I was wrong about this. Um, so here's the town center. All right. It's not as much of the town center as I would have thought. >> Here's the Lake Wyola area. Um, there's an inset here and so it's it's fairly
tight around the lake itself. Um, I'm not sure this must be this was the town center instead of the town center, but then so there's the roadside residential and there's the and I guess all this green stuff. I I misunderstood
this. This is the forest conservation district and obviously that's the whole town. So that's not going to work on the um on the um other thing.
So I'm glad we saw that. All right. So, so that would mean that we would change that one. Um, God, this is complicated. So I'm thinking that we are unable to
say no to the forest conservation districts. >> Yeah. Because that's like the whole that's like the whole town. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So we we can't do that. We can keep it out. think of I mean obviously Lake Wyola and Town Center are much too
too um densely populated and of course the lake it's too close to surface waters. Um, we can we can I think restrict them from those areas
and I I assume that we can keep them out of the drinking water reservoir waterheds. >> Kath, just looking for two seconds at that map, can we ask the planning um commission why those two areas are so
restricted? I mean, it seems like, you know, any watershed areas going into the lake, like Ames Pond, for example, near Lake Wyola isn't wouldn't be protected under this scheme.
>> Is that true? Uh, let's see. >> I I don't know. I mean, I just got a quick glimpse at that map, but it seemed like it, like you said, it's pretty circumspect, >> right? Yeah. I want to get it back. Um yeah, but you know that map and the
whole zoning bylaw was adopted by town meeting in 2009 and there's really no way that it can be changed. >> Oh, okay. I understand that. But that means but we still have to choose. We have to use those as our districts that
we're considering. Is that correct? >> No. No, we don't. We don't have to do that. Um it just seemed it seemed like it might be a convenient >> I I totally agree with you but um >> yeah I don't I don't know
>> obviously if we have if we have size if we have generous setbacks from residences and private wells and septic systems
Obviously, we're not going to have applications for for areas where it's just too tight. I mean, it's all going to be basically in the forest conservation district. >> Yeah. >> Do you want me to bring that map up
again? >> Yeah. It seems like the map should delineate those watershed areas since I think on the map that looks like it's part of the forest conservation, the green, right?
>> Yes. Yes. Well, you know, there's a lot of maps at town hall on that hanging >> giant maps. So, I'll go have a look and see if there's a good watershed map there or else I'll ask the conservation
because they should they should have that. >> We don't want to make this impossible, but >> No, >> we don't want to make it too easy either, right? Mhm. So, so except for that where I kind of went
a little bit wrong, um, tell me your thoughts. Does this, do you think that this covers basically what our content requirements are? Is it too much? Is it too little? Is there
something that you see that isn't here? Well, I I like the way you're thinking of it in general, Cat, but um you know, I would have to go back myself and look at some more of the specifics, which you've obviously done more than I have. So, um I I like the way you are framing
it out >> and I think we can um you know, raise questions and and so forth. um you know once we get some of the details in some of these frames for example. >> Yeah. >> And some of the things that are
occurring to me just when you you talked about one thing like um no on-site um water for ongoing cooling, you know, limit the size. I think that's a great idea. The question came to mind to me is how the heck do you monitor that? How do
you know if they're doing it or not? So, >> well, you know, things like that may come up. >> Well, in the in the model bylaw, which is actually for zoning, but but is kind of the closest thing that we have giving
us specifics. Um, they do have a section on monitoring and maintenance and enforcement and so on. Um, let me see. Well, I'm just thinking of other
situations where we can't walk on somebody's property, for example. You know, how do we monitor that situ? We put it in our rag, but >> well, but we can put in the rag that we have the right to inspect the property at,
you know, whatever interval is seems appropriate. And of course when when it's being installed when it's being installed, right, they will have some kind of cooling system that does not involve um you know dumping it onto the
ground or into a septic system or a tank or whatever. Um so that that we would not permit the infrastructure for doing that. >> Yeah. And I would think a part of that would be to insist that any well, any
well that is drilled on the property must have a meter installed on it that measures the use of water >> because then you can then you really can tell how much they're using. >> That's a really good idea. Y
So let's think for a minute about the findings, our findings. Um, we have a kind of we have a chance to to
lay out why we wanted to do this, right? And one of the things here, let me bring that thing back. Um, okay. So, one of the things we can talk about is um the on-site wells for every single property in the town, which
includes town property. Um we have the fact that we are a watershed community for at least two drinking water reservoirs. um that there we have a lot of forested land and
that creates a certain fire risk if um if you know with these batteries. Um and that's why we want to control what kind of batteries are used and that we have these volunteer firefighters um who can't respond instantaneously
to a fire. Um so those are as many um as many findings as I have thought for justifying why we want to do this. I don't know if you have some more that
you could share. Uh, Kat, I don't have more to share, but I think I remember that Mike Hugo's draft had some other things that we might take a look at again and see if there's anything there that we haven't included.
>> Okay. Okay. Can you do you have that? >> I do. >> Can you can you look into that and see if there's anything important that we've left out? >> Yep. >> I think noise would be on this list.
Um, you know, I put noise down here on the in the general requirements that we would need noise baffling. Um, do you think that it should be also in the findings that the that noise
creates a a public health hazard? Is that what you're suggesting? >> I I would create linkage between any findings and then any requirements. Yes, >> good point. >> Yes. So, the same thing goes for light
pollution. >> Okay. Right. And the light pollution would not only affect human people but also ecosystems. >> As would noise. Yeah. >> Would it be appropriate to say anything
here about um the nature of our electrical grid? Like I keep reading that um these um data centers and buses um are difficult for communities where
the electrical grid is um limited or already strained and I don't know about whether or not we are considered to be in a constrained location as far as the
electrical grid. >> I I don't know either. I have an idea that yes, but I don't know that for sure. >> Okay. >> I think the person who might know that might be Michael >> Deara.
>> Maybe you could send him an email and ask him about that question. >> Sure. >> Okay. So what else is in the general requirements um that has not been
addressed in the findings the fire risk I guess of well we we've we've said that for the forested land is a fire risk for um because of the batteries we can be
specific about that. This may be going too in depth, but maybe something about road infrastructure. I mean the you know so we've got a lot of uh non-paved roads
and the needs for facilities like this you know particularly like supporting generators and and all of that might require paved access >> right
>> depending on where they're sighting. So you know I don't know if I'm just trying to think of infrastructural things that could be built into findings. >> Yeah, I think that I think that that is a good one because it it is going to be something that puts
a greater strain on town resources unless they come in and pave a whole entryway. And even then, there aren't very many access points into
open land that have pave that are on paper paved roads. I think okay. Do you have more thoughts about the whole thing? this other this other U model bylaw
which I hope maybe you could read in time for next meeting um has a lot of stuff. They have specific details about abandonment or decommissioning and change of ownership
and um um having a decommissioning fund available, right? That the applicant would would maintain to uh to make sure that there's money to decommission it when if and
when the time comes and so on. So there's quite a lot in this in this other other uh model bylaw that we can filter. >> All right. What next? Can I I just want
to go back to my earlier point and say that I I think I misspoke when I talked about um the electrical grid being strained but it is strained by a data center but I think not by a battery
energy storage. So that >> let's let's see what we can find out about that. Um I I thought that there might be something >> that I think actually battery energy storage systems
um >> well they're they're creating or they're saving energy to feed >> so they may be reducing the strain on this on the grid. >> That's true. They they may be although I did have the impression that it can be
kind of problematic the the sort of dosing of it. >> Okay. >> But I really that's something that we need to find out more about. >> And what about does your model um talk about
a company that would propose this facility? um how they have to interface with the the utility um versus responsibilities for um for
town versus the utility and oversight between the applicant, the utility and the town. I'd imagine there's a lot of overlap there where you know you don't want them cutting some preferential deal
with National Grid um that the town is unaware of that might might we just don't know have some adverse effect on rate payers in the town or I
>> I I don't know it just seems like there's a lot of really complex legal potential um complications in a thing like this.
>> Yeah, I imagine you're right. Um and I don't really know how to to even approach that. >> Yeah, >> I'm looking to see what's in the model
model bylaw. Um, and it seems fairly comprehensive, but it doesn't seem to mention anything about about how it's attached to the grid.
Well, here's what I propose for next time. I will go back to this outline and write in all the suggestions that were generated tonight and I will send that
out to you for your review. Um, and let's see. I think Norin, we said Norin was going to check the thing that Mike Hugo sent us, >> right?
And uh I don't remember if anybody else had an assignment. >> I'll find out more about this whole um thing about Bess's in the grid. >> Okay. >> If I can, >> that would be good. And if if we could all and I will admit that I have not
read very much of it yet. If we would all read this model zoning bylaw and it's a it's a big bite. It's 20 21 pages and a lot of it is littleformational sections in which they kind of explain things. So, by reading it, we can really
learn a lot, but we're just going to have to buckle down and read it. Um, I will I will send it to you again tonight so that it'll be right at the top of your inbox. And if you could take that as your your homework >> for next meeting, I think that would be
that would be a good place for us to start. Good. >> Yeah. Because there's probably a lot of boilerplate in there that we can plug in. >> Yeah. Yeah. And even though it's not a it's not a model of a board of health regulation, I still think that there's
quite a lot of language that we're going to be able to use. >> Agreed. >> Just, you know, there's so many pieces and trying to trying to put those pieces together in one thing, it's it's pretty daunting. you know, we've got the we've
got the Wendle law, we've got the things that Mike Hugo sent us. Now, we have this model modeled by law. Um, so there's a lot of stuff out there. >> Yeah. And then at the next meeting, we
can assign filling in our own our own form, our own >> Yeah. Yeah. Basically, this is an empty frame for the most part. You can start start working on filling it in. >> So, not to discourage reading it um
because I I think it's good to read it, but my impression of it is that it's more a planning and and zoning >> model. Um and that what we would be looking to do is something that's in tandem with it that really speaks to
public health. Mhm. >> Um, so I say read it, but um, as you're reading it, I think you'll find that it feels more like zoning, >> right? I I I totally agree with you on
that. Um, I'm just thinking that there's probably a lot that we can a lot of language that we can adopt and a lot of um, a lot of information that will be germanine to our regulation. For
example, there's all these definitions. I mean, we probably won't want that many definitions, but it's good to have some definitions. >> Yeah. I'm just I'm just saying that from the perspective of thinking like general requirements. There's >> there might not be a lot that we can get
from that >> from from the model rag um >> as it pertains to the board of health. >> Right. Yeah, I think you're right. But I'm I'm hoping that that um this will give us some background and um maybe
some language and stuff that we might be able to use. Before I forget, Kat under general requirements, you want to just amend size to say um size and number of
facilities because maybe we don't want to let more than one come in. I don't know. >> Are you saying more than one in the whole town? So that if one Yeah. If we if we permit one, we would never permit another one. >> Well, or or maybe we've reached our
quota then. We I mean, we can decide. >> Okay. And maybe capacity maybe might be a better >> Yeah. Then size. >> Then size or size capacity. Okay.
>> Um, a lot of people, you know, are pretty well convinced that we had the um the mortgage meltdown and before that we had the internet bubble and AI is going to be the next
one. Um so so any any infrastructure associated with it may become um may become a liability if that does happen.
>> You know that there's a lot of hype about AI. Um and >> and it's a financial tool that that could jeopardize the economy.
Yeah. Yeah, you're probably right. Um, however, it seems to me that that's more um that's more gerine to the um the data centers, which I don't think we're going to have to regulate because they're
zonable. >> Whereas the the battery storage systems are more about sustainable energy. >> Got it. So, and we're always going to need that. So,
>> we can hope that that we wouldn't have to we wouldn't >> decommission it. Yeah. >> Yeah. Right. Right. But that will be part of it. I mean, that's part of what's in the um in the bylaw and there's a section on that also in the
Wendell board of health rag. >> Yep. >> Right. And I'm going to reread the Wendell rag between now and next time to kind of get a >> kind of get a sense of how how the
zoning and >> leader in that >> I don't know what that was. >> Oh, it's gone now. Well, I was I was trying to follow a link to something about >> Oh, >> best and and it started I realiz it was
>> Sorry, I closed it as soon as I could. >> No, no problem. I just couldn't figure out what it was. >> Um I don't know if this is helpful or not, but I've been reading the paper. I think um both Weightley and Planefield
have been struggling with these issues, too. And I >> I think Whley just um passed a bylaw or they had a special town meeting. Has anybody else been following that in the paper? So I don't know if they're worth
consulting. Whe I think is again I don't remember if it was the planning commissioner or the board of health that was um dealing with it. >> Mhm. >> But they just recently had a town meeting and they're you know whatever their
procedure was you know past that group. So I mean I could try and look into that too. >> Yeah. So if it was at town meeting it would be >> right. It would be planning wouldn't it? Yes. >> Right. It would be or it would be some kind of bylaw
>> because their board of health would not have had to have town meeting to pass a rag. >> True. Good point. >> So, so now do you think this was about battery storage or do you think it was about
data centers? >> I wish I could clearly state it or remember. I I can't. The reason I'm asking is this is the distinction we need to keep in our minds at all times and it's really hard. >> Data centers are
are subject to action by the zoning board. They can make regulations their they can make part of their zoning bylaw um have to do with data centers. And in fact,
our planning board is planning to bring um amendments to the zoning bylaw at town meeting next year regarding data centers. Battery energy storage systems
because they are classified by the state as parts of solar installations. Even when they're not attached to solar installations, they're like like by definition they're solar installations and that makes them sheltered from any
kind of zoning control and that's why it's up to us because we have the public health angle on it. If it's going to be if they're going to be regulated, we're the ones that have to do it. >> Okay, that's that's really helpful, Cat.
Maybe we could put something to that effect in the minutes. I don't know. That's really helpful distinction. >> Okay, I can do that. >> Okay. So, I'm going to send you again the model zoning bylaw mainly because there are these um there are these
little blue boxes, some of them quite big, and they have the background information that's that um is is helpful. I'm talking about it as if I'd read the whole thing. Don't think I have.
All right. Is there anything more that anybody wants to say before we adjourn? Norin, did you ever get through to the meeting in Orange? >> I did not. Neither one of us did. So, and they didn't get back to me to tell me how to get access. >> So, no,
>> it was a dead end. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Well, I don't suppose anybody was able to do the webinar. >> No, last night. I didn't even see your email about it until this morning, but
>> yeah, it came in really late. >> Yeah. But but I um sent an email to the address provided and I um asked about getting access to the recording because the webinar was recorded and I have a link. Um >> Oh, excellent.
>> They got back to me about that. So, I can share that link with you all. Um and I know I plan on um carving out some time to watch the webinar. >> Great. Thank you. >> Just since you know bring me up to date,
I didn't get anything about the webinar. What What is it on? >> Uh that's a good question. So, it was, if I go back to Cat's
email about it, um, she sent it, um, Cat sent from board of health email. um sent last night or yesterday uh just
before noon um about a um a webinar on bees in Massachusetts benefits and safety considerations. Um, so, um, and it's was being done by an
outfit called the Clean Energy Group and, um, I don't know anything about them, but, um, Cat had received it from Tom Seaffort um, who is the clerk of the Wendell Board of Health and, uh, so Cat
forwarded it along to us. So anyway, I did um get a link for seeing the the recorded version and I will share it with y'all. >> That'll be great. >> So Moren though, if you check your email for about from about noon on Tuesday,
just before noon, uh from board of health. >> Yeah, it should say forward webinar 11:18 battery energy storage systems in Massachusetts. But but but I will get back to with you all to you all about the uh link for the recording. Okay,
>> that that'll be great. And I will I will resend the um the the model bylaw so that you can easily find it. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Anything else we need to talk about?
>> Yes, we need to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. >> Yes. >> Yes, indeed. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. And if you're traveling, travel safe. You You'll be back, Whim, because you have to go to Vermont. So, >> correct. Tomorrow morning.
>> Okay. Well, travel safely. >> Thanks. >> And uh I'm going to just I'm going to just um how can I do this? I'm going to just adjourn the meeting. The meeting I at 8:10 I I am declaring the meeting
adjourned. Okay. Happy Thanksgiving to you all and see you in December. >> Yep. Take care. So, um, >> good night. >> Good night, everyone.