An international solar energy company will have to rework its application if it wants to expand a solar farm in Presque Isle.
Convalt Energy, which has an office in East Millinocket, must file for a variance to add to the existing solar array on Longview Drive following a March 11 ruling by the Presque Isle Zoning Board of Appeals.
The proposal sparked controversy because the city has now banned solar arrays in suburban areas. Several neighborhood residents told city councilors last week that the facility is unsightly and could lower their property values, and they don’t want it enlarged. They also questioned its impacts on the environment. The zoning board decision stops the process — for now.
Presque Isle is considering a moratorium on commercial solar farms, and it isn’t alone. Patten residents opposed a large solar farm idea in January. Now, Stockton Springs residents want town leaders to halt solar construction sooner than a planned June public vote. People worry about the energy panels taking up room on land that could be used for farming or housing.
About 50 residents, city officials and Convalt Energy representatives turned out for the hearing.
The project will meet criteria including emergency vehicle access and hazardous waste disposal, and will not adversely affect groundwater or scenic views, Convalt representative John Phelan said.
Crews will also add buffering — trees and shrubs — to shield the installation from residents’ view. The installation should not negatively affect nearby property values once landscaping is completed, Phelan said.
Board Chair Pam Palm asked whether the company would bury or recycle the solar panels once they’ve reached the end of their useful life.
The company plans to recycle the panels, which it does in most of its installations, Phelan said. Panels last about 25 years.
Soil erosion has been cited as a problem with some solar arrays, Palm said.
“We will put a silt fence around that area to prevent any erosion, and then as we develop, we stump it then grass it in,” Convalt’s Maine Project Manager Richard Angotti said. “Once it’s grassed in and has a chance to grow and get acclimated back into a good, strong soil, then we can start putting in our screws for the array.”
Residents have expressed concern about a herd of deer that inhabit woods near the neighborhood. The wildlife area will remain intact, Angotti said.
No one spoke in favor of Convalt’s appeal, but resident Kevin Kinney had submitted a favorable written comment, Palm said.
Convalt filed the wrong type of appeal, said lawyer Frank Bemis, representing some Longview Drive homeowners. He urged the board to dismiss the company’s expansion request.
“You have a miscellaneous appeal when you’re considering proposed changes to the exterior or appearance,” he said. “We’re not talking about changing the exterior or changing the appearance of what you have in place.”
Convalt wants to add new construction to an installation that was built when such facilities were allowed in residential areas, Bemis said. While the original farm was built under proper regulations, the city council and planning board changed that rule in 2024.
Bemis referred to the city’s land use code, which was amended in May to remove permissions for solar electric facilities in the suburban residential, business and suburban commercial zones.
Rather than a miscellaneous appeal, Convalt should instead file for a variance, which relaxes standards currently in place, Bemis said.
The board voted to dismiss the company’s appeal.
Convalt will try again using the proper procedure, Angotti said following the hearing.
“We believe in the Presque Isle area and the development of solar in the Presque Isle area,” he said. “We understand energy is utmost to protecting the U.S., and this is our method of providing that energy.”
