Acushnet Conservation Commission Continues Two Solar Cases, Expands Peer Review Pool

ACUSHNET — October 22, 2025 — Acushnet's Conservation Commission continued two large solar development cases and approved a road extension for a 15-lot subdivision at its October 22 meeting. The commission voted unanimously to continue both a proposed 4,999-kilowatt solar photovoltaic array and battery storage project off Park Drive — filed by Sankapa Park Drive, LLC — and a separate ground-mounted solar array proposed by Clemsway Solar, LLC, at 1094 Main Street, each to the November 12 meeting. Engineer Jamie Bissonette of Zenith Consulting Engineering secured a one-year extension on the order of conditions for the Deep Brook Estates subdivision road network, telling the commission that compaction testing on Park Drive passed this week and that 13 of the 15 lots have already been individually permitted. The commission also approved an order of conditions for a residential pool and cabana project after engineer Rick Scherer of Scherer Associates acknowledged a contractor had built a retaining wall without the required five-day advance notice to the commission — the contractor has since been removed from the project. In a staffing update, Chairman Souza announced the appointment of new conservation agent Julia Gonzalez, described as a recent college graduate who will work five days a week on a part-time basis, and the commission voted to add Fairfield Engineering Company as a third approved peer reviewer, with Souza saying he aims to build a five-firm rotation pool.