Planning Board Sets Feb. 4 Stormwater Hearing
Hatfield Planning Board sent draft stormwater rules to town counsel and set a Feb. 4, 2026 public hearing to meet an EPA deadline.
Planning Board · Meeting of January 7, 2026
Hatfield Planning Board sent draft stormwater rules to town counsel and set a Feb. 4, 2026 public hearing to meet an EPA deadline. Town Administrator Andrew Levine and Assistant Planner Isabella Yeager said the rules close gaps in post-construction runoff standards under the town's 2025 stormwater bylaw; agricultural projects, including a recent large expansion at Norse Farms, remain exempt. The board spent most of the meeting weighing zoning language for battery energy storage systems ahead of the expected May 2026 Annual Town Meeting, discussing bans on large systems in floodplains and water-supply zones and a possible 200-percent-of-site-use cap for accessory battery storage.
Member Douglas Finn said a large facility could drop local property taxes "by a third." Yeager cited DEP data showing large-scale battery storage safety "has improved 97 percent since 2018." No vote was taken on either item; the board adjourned unanimously at 7:57 p.m.
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Source: the Planning Board meeting of January 7, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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