Jim Harvey says the project would help him 'pay down my debt load' toward leaving Harvey's Farm to his children.
A $10 million ground-mounted photovoltaic farm designed to generate electricity sufficient to power a town is proposed for Westborough's Harvey's Farm. Farm owner Jim Harvey says the project is "for survival." "Probably the biggest (reason) is to pay down my debt load. My goal is to leave my children with all of the land that I have. I don't want to sell any of it. And I don't want to leave them in debt," Harvey said during a recent interview at the farm, at 120 South St. The project is proposed for 7 Maple Ave. "This is basically a 20-year plan that would take care of that." The Westborough Board of Appeals has scheduled a public hearing on Harvey's Farm LLC's variance request for 7:30 tonight at the Forbes Municipal Building. The board'…
42.26226
-71.61015
Harvey's Farm and Country Store
120 South St, Westborough, MA
/articles/photovoltaic-farm-eyed-for-westborough-farm
805934
/locations/7882395
Landlord said it is a tenant's market.
The Green Technology Advisory Group is exploring costs and options.
The Green Technology Advisory Group (GTAG), headed by Selectman Leigh Emery, met last night to discuss solar energy for the town. The preliminary discussion identified several sites as possibilities for installing solar power. The purpose of Tuesday night's meeting was to determine the first step to take if the town wants to be serious about producing solar energy. "The committee is looking at both roof top and ground installations," Emery explained. Solar panels would likely be installed on school roof tops, but this would not occur until a school roof needed repair. "The school committee has decided we will not use solar until we have to replace a roof," Steve Doret, school committee member, said. Doret will find out what school is …
42.278052
-71.60483
Town of Westborough Senior Center
4 Rogers Rd, Westborough, MA
/articles/solar-energy-for-town-buildings-discussed
806092
/locations/4947488
42.26754
-71.61512
Westborough Public Library
55 W Main St, Westborough, MA
/articles/solar-energy-for-town-buildings-discussed
806223
/locations/4947489
42.28035
-71.60318
Hastings Elementary School
111 E Main St, Westborough, MA
/articles/solar-energy-for-town-buildings-discussed
805776
/locations/4947490
Albert Besee
5:37 pm on Monday, September 10, 2012
I too think this is a good project, but it's entirely spurious to say that farming is a commercial operation. Agriculture is specifically and explicitly its own category, subject to a number of exemptions from laws, bylaws and regulations governing commercial uses (including minimum wage, hours of operation, etc.). Hopefully the ZBA can find another way to approve that doesn't require suspension … more ›