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Elevations for the clubhouse, which will be restored to its original size.
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The solar array will sit behind the clubhouse with a gravel road access.
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Clarksburg Planners OK Golf Course Solar Array, Clubhouse

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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Jeffrey Galarneau, a project engineer with VHB, reviews the plans for the solar array and clubhouse at Thursday's Planning Board meeting.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The Planning Board on Thursday gave final approval to a solar array and clubhouse renovations at the former North Adams Country Club.

The two elements comprise the first phase of the renovations at what is now the Boulder Creek Golf Club; the second phase, the development of the course itself, will come before the board later. The hearing was held at the Senior Center with a few residents in attendance.

The 1.25 megawatt solar array will have more than 4,000 panels over 4 acres and generate enough energy to power about 250 homes. The expectation is that the array will be hooked into National Grid this fall.

Nils Behn, CEO of Aegis Renewable Energy, the array developer and operator, said the array would support the golf course operations and "strengthen the diversity of that entire endeavor."

The revenue from the alternative energy source is a critical factor in making the golf course sustainable, said owner Todd Driscoll, which prompted the decision to do the array and clubhouse together in the first phase.

"The reality is the whole plan has to work together," he said. "We go solar, we go bigger, without it we can't survive ... It would be a shame to see it not survive ...
 
"You can't make any money on the golf course."

The golf course will be as green as possible — the mowers and carts will be electric, detention ponds will be used to conserve water for irrigation. "The whole golf course idea is it's a green golf course," Driscoll explained.

Driscoll bought out partner James Basiliere in early June, taking over the mortgage obligations for the property. Basiliere had purchased the 100-year-old bankrupt country club on River Road four years ago with the plans to expand the nine-hole course to 18 and to renovate the clubhouse and banquet facilities.

Those plans did not pan out and Driscoll came on as a partner last year and the project was scaled back to a Par 3 and a restoration of the original, much smaller clubhouse. The solar project was added on earlier this year to diversify revenue sources.



The array had originally been lower and to the south slightly but will now be closer to the clubhouse. It should not be visible from the road.

"At first we were trying to hide it and we sort of pushed it back, and then we thought we'd put right next to the clubhouse," Driscoll said. "We're trying to preach this whole green theory. What's wrong with getting out of your car and looking at a solar array?"  

The engineer for both the array and country club is Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc. Jeffrey Galarneau, a project engineer with VHB, reviewed the plans for the board, which included installing a seven-foot fence around the solar facility as requested by the board. A number of other conditions, including signage, bonding for abandonment or decommissioning, and maintenance were also reviewed.

The clubhouse plans were also approved. The rear of the structure will be demolished, other additions removed and the spacious pavilion restored.

"It's been added onto four times and it's quite a mess on the inside," Driscoll said. "What we proposed to do is peel it back and shrink it to the original clubhouse."

The gravel excavation permit for the property has expired and the Planning Board determined to keep material removal with the site plan permit since the amount being taken out at this point is minimal. The conditions on hours and trucking were kept the same.

Driscoll said another well was found behind the clubhouse with a new pump in it, enough to feed the clubhouse and irrigate half the course. He plans to apply to tie into the North Adams sewer line rather than deal with the old septic system.

A structured tax agreement on the array will be worked out with the town.

"There is certainly the tax piece of this, but that added strength it brings to the community is an intangible to the town," said Behn.

Driscoll said the golf course, array and renewal of the alcohol license will be a "pretty good deal" for the town.

"We want the golf course to be one of the nicest practice facilities ... it will be a nice little gem for the town."


Tags: golf course,   Planning Board,   solar array,   

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Pittsfield CPA Committee Funds Half of FY24 Requests

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A few projects are not getting funded by the Community Preservation Committee because of a tight budget.

The projects not making the cut were in the historic preservation and open space and recreation categories and though they were seen as interesting and valuable projects, the urgency was not prevalent enough for this cycle.

"It's a tough year," Chair Danielle Steinmann said.

The panel made its recommendations on Monday after several meetings of presentations from applications. They will advance to the City Council for final approval.  

Two cemetery projects were scored low by the committee and not funded: A $9,500 request from the city for fencing at the West Part Cemetery as outlined in a preservation plan created in 2021 and a $39,500 request from the St. Joseph Cemetery Commission for tombstone restorations.

"I feel personally that they could be pushed back a year," Elizabeth Herland said. "And I think they're both good projects but they don't have the urgency."

It was also decided that George B. Crane Memorial Center's $73,465 application for the creation of a recreational space would not be funded. Herland said the main reason she scored the project low was because it didn't appear to benefit the larger community as much as other projects do.

There was conversation about not funding The Christian Center's $34,100 request for heating system repairs but the committee ended up voting to give it $21,341 when monies were left over.

The total funding request was more than $1.6 million for FY24 and with a budget of $808,547, only about half could be funded. The panel allocated all of the available monies, breaking down into $107,206 for open space and recreation, $276,341 for historic preservation, and $425,000 for community housing.

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