Harvard voters will debate and decide for themselves next month at a Special Town Meeting (STM) whether to adopt a more energy efficient “stretch” building code for the town, along with two other measures needed to qualify for state “Green Community” dollars, which proponents say could help fund the renovation of town buildings.
The vote by the Board of Selectmen (BOS) to convene the STM, which will meet on Nov. 9, was unanimous. There was little debate among the selectmen, who refrained from taking positions on the merits of any of the three “Green Community” articles that will appear on the STM warrant. But the proposed “stretch” building code is controversial. Opponents say the measure is being unnecessarily rushed; one who spoke during public comment time at the meeting said it would provoke a “holy war” among residents. Chairman Peter Warren said that in his years as a selectman he had never received so many letters or comments on a single issue. Last Thursday a public forum in Volunteers Hall at the public library drew a standing-room-only crowd of more than 60 citizens, not all of whom had a chance to ask a question or express an opinion to the panel of nine experts before the meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.
Building Inspector Gabe Vellante takes the microphone at an information session on the stretch code on Oct. 14. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)
Arguably, the decision to call an STM was a fait accompli, clinched by a petition containing the signatures of 220 residents—20 more than the required number—that was submitted to Town Hall by Selectman Tim Clark Tuesday afternoon. The petition asked the BOS to call an STM meeting before Nov. 17. While the BOS has 45 days to act on such a petition, it chose to honor the spirit of the request by acting immediately so the town can meet a November deadline for Green Community applications if STM votes to adopt the stretch code. The selectmen also voted to use the occasion to get town approval for three other measures that they unanimously agreed to add to the STM warrant (See sidebar. p. 10.)
Since last spring, the Harvard Energy Advisory Committee (HEAC)—a subcommittee appointed by the BOS—has urged the selectmen to back an application for such designation. Green Communities are eligible for grants from a $10 million fund overseen by the state Department of Energy Resources (DOER). In 2009, grants made to qualified Massachusetts communities that requested them were never less than $125,000, according to HEAC Chairman Brian Smith. As of Oct. 10, 49 towns had adopted the stretch code, including Lancaster and Acton. To qualify for funds in 2011, Harvard must submit a completed application by Nov. 19.
Adoption of the stretch code is only one of five criteria Harvard must meet to qualify as a Massachusetts Green Community. The other four measures include:
- Zoning changes to permit the construction of renewable energy facilities
- Assurances that the permits needed to build such a facility can be issued in less than a year
- Creation and implementation of a plan to reduce energy consumption by 20 percent
- Adoption of a policy to purchase fuel-efficient vehicles “where practicable.”
So far neither the BOS nor the Planning Board nor the Finance Committee has taken a position on any of the three measures that require STM approval, though all three have agreed on the need for an STM. The Planning Board is expected to vote at its next meeting whether to endorse the zoning changes needed to allow a solar generation facility in town. The School Committee is considering a vehicle policy that would support the Green Community application and is likely to vote on it at its next meeting. Much of the work on an energy reduction plan has already been completed by the HEAC.
The public comment at Tuesday’s BOS meeting was brief but emotional. “I’m an angry man, and a lot of people in Harvard are angry,” said Bill Barton who chairs the town’s Republican Committee and writes for the Common Sense Harvard web site. “I think [the stretch code article] is incredibly polarizing and divisive by virtue of one set of people adopting a view of what is or is not sufficient energy conservation for individuals to adopt in their homes” and making it the law “for their neighbors.”
“This Special Town Meeting will turn into a holy war,” warned Barton, who said that groups that favored and opposed the measure would try to pack the STM “to win this war.” Barton argued that there was not enough time for residents to understand the issues, especially in the midst of what he described as a heated political season that ends on Nov. 2, only seven days before the STM date.
“I’m really sorry that this is something that you see as polarizing, said Susan Macrae of Oak Hill Road. “I see this as something that could be incredibly positive for our community and bring people together. We all need to do something. There is a compelling public interest [in reducing energy use]. We’ve seen this effectively bring towns together, to work together. The opportunity is that this would provide for our town to improve some of our public buildings. I don’t see this as polarizing.”
The Special Town Meeting will convene on Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. in the Cronin Auditorium at the Bromfield School. If the town approves the three “Green Community” articles on the warrant, HEAC will submit its application in time to meet the Nov. 19 deadline set by DOER for spring 2011 funding.
