Meeting Minutes
Thursday, January 21st, 2010
6:30 pm
120 Washington Street
In Attendance: Cindy Keegan (Chair), Rob DeRosier (V. Chair), Rick Nye, Adam Segal, Jeff Barz-Snell, Rob Derosier, Jeff Brandt, Jenna Ide
Members not in attendance: Nick Lewis, John Hayes
City Staff: Paul Marquis
Public: Gavin McCauliffe
Introduce & welcome new appointee Jeff Brandt
Update on met tower installation & Mass Renewable Energy Trust (MRET) wind power feasibility study grant for Winter Island
- The meteorological tower is producing data that are being gathered on a bi-weekly basis and provided to us in a PDF file that will be posted to the RETF web page; a live (real-time) data feed can’t be done without significant additional costs.
The City received a grant for $65K for a wind facility feasibility study, however it may only be entitled to the $50K amount specified for the study in a contract for same with Meridian Associates of Beverly, MA . P. Marquis will get clarification from Meridian Associates and/or MRET.
It is hoped that we can gather tower data for 12 months, but the tower will need to be re-evaluated in May for the Parks & Recreation Commission to gauge impacts on recreational uses of the site during the warmer months.
- During the installation of the met tower, one immature tree was removed to provide clearance for the tower guy wires. DPW should have been notified. The Winter Island manager has requested that three trees be planted in its place. A Salem Alliance For the Environment (SAFE) member has offered to donate some funds to help cover tree replacement.
- Caps for the rebar holding the snow fencing around the tower anchors are still needed to minimize safety hazards.
- The City and Task Force need to consider potential opposition to wind facilities and issues to address. A Winter Island Neighborhood association may be forming, and it’s uncertain as to whether or not they would favor a wind turbine on Winter Island. Gavin McAuliffe reported that in a recent SATV “Salem Now” segment, host Leo Jardin railed against wind power, trying to make the case (by having the videographer flick the camera on and off) that the intermittent nature of wind resources would result in intermittent reliability of the power supply at the receptacles.
Revisiting current wind ordinance- current ordinance does not adequately address small wind systems.
Follow-up to City Council hearing where they requested that the RETF consider re-visiting/ revising the current wind zoning ordinance. Also need to consider impacts of the ordinance on photovoltaic (PV) installations- what are the obstacles and where, permissibility of ground & roof mounted systems based on current zoning and versus existing installations that may establish precedents- examples:
- Backup generators are usually allowed but represent power generation equipment much like PV & wind, though, much like wind & solar power equipment, they are not specifically listed under permitted uses
- PV installation at Princeton Crossing apartments,
- PV & wind turbine installations at Groom Energy headquarters.
Consider following changes to wind ordinance: Remove 40,000 sq ft minimum lot size requirement; establish requirements governing rooftop commercial & residential (e.g., require structural engineering approval); establish city decibel requirements (State DEP regs already governs this); require flicker modeling (or waiver by abutters); establish public safety guidelines (e.g., fire safety); modify to comply with GCP As-of-Right criteria for renewable energy power generation if possible. Review new Ipswich wind ordinance as a possible model.
Discussion of As-of-right zoning criterion in Green Communities Program (GCP) and possibility that current Salem zoning is already in compliance for R & D path.
Based on square footage and permitted usage with zoning districts B2 and BPD, we may already be in compliance for GCP Criteria #1- As of Right Zoning for Renewable Energy R & D- DOER is reviewing what we may need to do to formalize that. The members agreed that we should continue to work on as-of-right zoning for renewable energy generation, in addition to R & D, as the current permitted uses may unnecessarily preclude some well-considered renewable energy generation installations, like a proposed ground-mounted photovoltaic array at the Fairweather Apartments on Highland Ave. Solar, Water, Wind should be examined as permitted uses under revised zoning ordinance proposals and designating a wind corridor at Winter Island should be examined as well.
Update on 2kw Solar Panel Array at SHS
Commencement of the installation will have to wait until the weather warms up, as the high school roof membrane should not be penetrated for the panel mounting hardware during cold weather.
Update on Energy Efficiency & Conservation Strategy (EECS) under EECBG
Strategy can be accessed via the Planning Dept website. Paul Marquis will create a link to it from the RETF homepage on the City’s website; EECBG funding highlights/ line items (amounts approximate):
- MAPC consultant for development of EECS ($13K)
- Funding for Energy Manager future salary ($43K)
- High School lighting retrofits ($44K)
- LED traffic signal lamp upgrades ($74K)
- Energy education & outreach ($3K)
Kill-a-Watt power use (plug load) monitors for Library
Adam Segal reported that the library is willing to put these at the Reference Desk for check out by the general public. After the members agreed that purchasing two or three would be an appropriate quantity, Gavin McAuliffe suggested that the City might benefit from owning more if their use was actively promoted in the Salem schools as part of an energy education curriculum. The members voted to purchase 6 instead, at a cost of around $30 each. They also agreed to the purchase of extension cords for the meters since they are otherwise difficult to read when used at floor-level receptacles. The purchase of 2 Infrared thermometers was also approved. These can be used for gauging insulation effectiveness. Gavin McAuliffe offered to look into doing an instructional video and public service announcement
regarding these testing tools for SATV; Adam Segal agreed to create an instructional booklet for the Kill-a-Watts, as the included instructions are a bit sparse.
Discussion of proposed Builder Forum (to include Design community/ Realtors) to introduce Stretch Code criterion in GCP.
Planned for March 2 (evening)- New base building code already in effect as of 1/1/10 contains 3rd party verification. Stretch code simply raises the bar by requiring better performance. In other words, the verification process is the same. Green Communities criteria as written in DOER documents suggest that thresholds are subset/lower than full Stretch code (sections pertaining to new construction only). Paul Marquis needs to confirm this as DOER is now saying that full adoption of the Stretch Code is really the only viable compliance path. Need to further consider plan for obtaining support. Suggested plans were to meet one on one with city councilors, building inspector, city engineer, city electrician to educate them individually. It was agreed that it is important to develop
the pitch and to develop key supporting facts, like the number of building permits that have recently been issued that would have been covered by the Stretch Code if it was in force. It is also important to understand the process for adoption. City Council approval will be required.
Establishing roles in helping to organize event:
- Identify and reach out to builders who may wish to attend
- Help Advertise
[Roles not assigned]
Future Meetings
- Review of Green Communities Action Plan with Ellie Baker, Green Communities technical assistance consultant from Horsley-Witten, and Swampscott Renewable Energy Committee at Swampscott High School, 200 Essex St., Rm B208 at 7:00pm on Feb 11, 2010. (6:30pm)
- Next RETF meeting will be held at 6:15, prior to the joint Salem/ Swampscott meeting on February 11th, if space allows, rather than on the normally scheduled date of February 18th, 2010.
Action Items:
- Need to re-clarify MRET wind feasibility grant status.(P. Marquis)
- Purchase 6 Kill-a-Watts w/ extension cords and 2 IR thermometers (P. Marquis)
- Design & ready plaque for met tower come spring (C. Keegan to provide text from prior marketing materials to J. Barz-Snell who will modify and then send to graphics person K. Giddings (SAFE)); note in plaque text that location of proposed wind turbine tower will not necessarily be at same location as the met tower. It can be within a quarter mile of that site.
- Develop instruction manual for Kill-a-Watt monitors (A. Segal)
- Confirm Stretch Code requirements in GCP (P. Marquis)
- Develop instructional video and PSA for Kill-A-Watt monitors (G. McAuliffe – volunteer from general public)
- Review new Ipswich wind ordinance
Meeting Minutes recorded by Cindy Keegan
Edited/ formatted by Paul Marquis
Meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm
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