Trenton Voters Reject Large-Scale Solar For A Second Time
Town Meeting Will Decide if Another Proposed Land Use Ordinance Change is Enacted
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by First National Bank.
TRENTON—During a special town meeting on Monday, March 10, voters eliminated one of two possible proposed changes to the town’s land use ordinance regarding the production of solar energy. Those changes were where a solar array can be located in town and how big it can be.
This is the second time that voters have rejected a proposal that would amend Trenton’s land use ordinance and allow solar development of up to 30 acres.
A push to curtail commercial solar projects in Trenton began in earnest last year while the planning board was working on amendments to land use ordinances that would allow commercial solar farms on up to 30 acres. Prior to this proposed amendment, there was no maximum size in the ordinance. However, the proposed changes would have allowed solar farms of up to 30 acres in two of the town’s residential zones: residential rural and residential growth.
In May 2024, at Trenton’s annual town meeting, those proposed ordinance changes were soundly rejected by a vote of 180-50.
The proposed changes that would allow solar development of up to 20 acres were voted down at Monday’s special town meeting.
Last night there were 140 votes cast, 29 yes votes and 111 no votes on the proposed ordinance. That represents a 13% voter turnout for registered Trenton voters for a ballot vote that had only one question.
At a Trenton Select Board meeting on Tuesday, January 21, after months of work, a joint committee of the town’s planning board, one member of the town’s select board, and five community members, presented the select board with two different variations of a proposed change to the town’s land use ordinances concerning future solar projects.
The two newer proposals, from the select board meeting on January 21, are below.
The one voted down on Monday would have permitted commercial solar projects in certain commercial districts up to 20 acres. Those districts are the business park and gateway commercial zones.
The other proposal only allows accessory solar use for residents and businesses to meet their own solar needs for any particular site.
At a January 21 select board meeting, Chair R. Frederick Ehrlenbach suggested having a special town meeting to vote on one of the proposals prior to the actual annual town meeting. This would give one proposal a chance to fail and not be voted in and would avoid the possible issue of having two proposed land use ordinance changes on the ballot at the same time and both being voted into effect.
After further discussion, it was decided that the select board would vote on putting the proposal that included commercial development on up to 20 acres in the business park and gateway zones on the ballot for the special town meeting. It was also determined that the special town meeting would be held on Monday, March 10, from 2-6 p.m. at the Trenton Town Office. That select board vote passed three to one with Select Board member Danielle Cole voting against the motion and member John Bennett being absent.
There was a public hearing for the proposed ordinance change that included commercial development on up to 20 acres in the business park and gateway zones, on February 12.
Now that one proposal has been rejected, Trenton voters will have the opportunity to vote on the second proposed amendment, the one that only allows accessory solar use for residents and businesses to meet their own solar needs for any particular site. That vote will either take place at the town meeting ballot vote on May 19 at the town office or at the regular town meeting scheduled for May 20 at the Trenton elementary school.
Correction: The original article stated that the joint committee consisted of one member of the Trenton Planning Board when it was the full planning board.
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