Acushnet Planning Board Continues Two Solar Cases, Approves Tree Fund Payment

ACUSHNET -- February 20, 2026, Acushnet Planning Board continued two solar development cases and approved a $7,500 tree-replacement payment at its February 20 meeting. Chair Mark Francois continued the public hearing on a proposed contractor yard and storage building at Zero Middle Road, filed by Chris Ciano of Meat in the Middle LLC, represented by SiteTech Engineering, to March 19, pending Conservation Commission review and a building department zoning letter. A separate request for minor stormwater and emergency-access modifications at 1050 Main Street by Acushnet Solar LLC and Nexamp was also continued to March 19 after Francois sharply criticized the applicants' team for returning two years after a November 2023 drainage memo with no solution to ongoing Main Street ponding, telling them, "You just come back here two years later with the exact same information you had two years ago with no resolution." The board directed the team to meet with DPW Director Dan Menard before March 19 and return with a concrete, peer-reviewed proposal. On a separate solar project at 1094 Main Street, the board unanimously approved relocated emergency spillways for Clems Way Solar LLC and accepted $7,500 from the applicant in lieu of replanting 75 removed trees, to be deposited in a gift fund pending creation of a formal town tree fund.