School solar comes under fire
“The last thing I want to be is a bad neighbor,” said school Superintendent Louann Carlomagno at the Tuesday night school board meeting. “I regret that communication hasn’t happened and just hearing the neighbors speak about the impact the solar projects have had on them is very upsetting.”
Carlomagno addressed a group of about 10 disgruntled neighbors who came forward to speak at the meeting. Sonoma Valley School District Deputy Superindentent Justin Frese had just delivered the facilities report, updating the public on where the district stood on the installation of solar projects at each of the Valley’s public schools.
Neighbors from both the Railroad Avenue area, near the district offices as well as those from Woodworth Lane, adjacent to Adele Harrison, came to air their grievances on not just the unanticipated scope of the projects but also the lack of communication and advanced preparation from the school district.
Anne Philips is a 26-year resident of Railroad Avenue who said she had no idea that the project would be so huge. “The district office has been cordial and answered all my questions. The problem is that I didn’t know what questions to ask until the project slowly unfolded in front of me. Now, I cannot believe what I see when I look out my living room window.”
At issue are a series of ground-mounted solar panels that span approximately 200 yards down a length of Railroad Avenue, just prior to the school district offices. The panels power both the district offices as well as Altimira Middle School. Cordoned off by chain link fence, the panels are, according to the neighbors, unsightly. Worse still, the lack of communication that accompanies the new installation.
The negative sentiment was echoed by neighbors of Adele Harrison. The road adjacent to the school, Woodworth Lane, sits in a county-designated flood zone. Besides the constant work crews and the ugly view caused by the panels, neighbors here are most concerned with flooding that could come as a result of what they see as a degradation of the retention pond on which the solar installation now sits.
Neighbor Tim Simonson worried that the concrete added to the pond would jeopardize natural drainage causing water to pool above and beyond what is normal. “The area collected a lot of water prior to construction and the installation of the panels. We haven’t been consulted about mitigating damage in the event of flooding. In fact, we haven’t been consulted much about anything.”
To that end, the school board and district staff agreed to meet with parties in both neighborhoods about ways to move forward to meet the needs of all involved.
“Bottom line, our communication needs to improve,” said Carlomagno. “We can move forward and try to mitigate what’s already happened. I’m happy to be a part of those meetings. We want to be good neighbors and will do what it takes.”
Solar update: According to Justin Frese, solar projects at some of the district’s schools are behind schedule, stalled in the process of waiting for state approval. The parking lot at Sonoma Valley High School will be opened in time for RUSH on Saturday, August 13. Parking and the flow of traffic at other district schools will be unimpeded by construction by the time school starts on Wednesday, August 17. As soon as approval is granted, construction will continue, most likely three to four weeks from now.
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As one of the concerned homeowners who spoke, let me just say that the School Board expressed sorrow that it all happened — but it’s too late to do anything about it. Landscaping? They’ll discuss with us – but there is no budget for it. And trees tall enough to block our view of the solar power plant would block their sun as well. Oops!