FINCOM 02-23-2015

Source page 1

Town of Canton Finance Committee Minutes Voted on: 3/3/15 
Meeting Minutes Vote: 7 -0 -2 
February 23, 2015 
Members Present: 
Rob Barker, Sepp Bergschneider, Jim Casamento, Jerry Dorfman, Dianne Gustafson, Tim McKenna, 
Mark Porter and Barbara Saint Andre 
Members Absent: 
Nichola Gallagher, Stephanie Leach, Jim Sims and Diane Wolff. 
Guests Present: 
Fred Lappin, President & CEO, Knollwood Memorial Park 
Jeff Novins, Attorney representing Knollwood Memorial Park 
Jim Murgia, Finance Director 
Ellen Jones, Finance Committee Secretary 
Opening: 
A meeting of the Canton Finance Committee was called to order at 5:49 p.m. on Monday, February 23, 
2015 in the Library Community Meeting Room at 786 Washington Street in Canton. 
A. Approval of Agenda 
Chairman Porter reviewed the items on the agenda and indicated an intention to adjourn the meeting in 
time to allow members to attend the Special Meeting of the Board of Selectmen scheduled for 7 p.m. 
B. Announcements 
There were no announcements. 
C. New Business 
Article 30 — Amend Zonina Mat) to Establish an Overlav Zoninq District Entitled "Canton Large 
Scale Ground Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Installation Overlay District (SPOD)" — Mr. Lappin 
provided an overview of a proposal to construct a Community Solar Garden on the order of 1 to 2 
MegaWatts on 10 to 14 acres of land owned by Knollwood Memorial Park. The land would be leased to 
East Light Solar, a developer in the business of building and operating such facilities. Knollwood is 
seeking to amend the zoning map to allow for this construction. 
The benefits to the Town of Canton would be two -fold. First, abutters and the Town would be able to 
purchase electricity from the facility at below market rates. Second, the Town would collect property 
taxes on the installed equipment. As of now, these benefits are unquantified. Mr. Lappin had previously 
presented this proposal to the Planning Board. Additionally, Mr. Lappin met with abutters last week to 
better understand any concerns that they may have. 
Mr. Dorfman inquired about the tax structure of the entity building the Solar Garden and whether the 
project would have any impact on the tax - exempt status of the cemetery. Mr. Novins reported that East 
Light Solar is a private corporation which would own and operate the facility. Knollwood would just be 
leasing land to East Light Solar. Mr. Lappin reported that his accountants are looking into what if any 
effect the project would have on the cemetery's tax - exempt status and that if any taxes were due that 
Knollwood would pay them. 
Ms. Gustafson asked about lease terms and what effect the facility would have on the availability of land 
for burials. Mr. Lappin replied that they are proposing a twenty -year lease. Knollwood Memorial Park 
and Sharon Memorial Park own approximately 340 acres in Canton and Sharon now, only 170 acres of 
which are currently considered part of the cemetery and of that 170 acres, over 100 acres is still available 
for burials. Mr. Novins reported that this project would have less density (i.e MegaWatts per acre) than 
the facility at the Town landfill due to the topography of the land at the site of the proposed facility. 
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