Climate Change: Example of a Local Effort

As President Obama seeks to make progress in Paris to save the planet (this is really not hypberbole), it is useful to also note the grassroots things that are being tried to contribute toward the battle against climate change.

Our local public school system (MCPS in Montgomery County MD) is seeking to foster the use of solar power and, at the same time, save money.  There was a public hearing recently, and, sadly, there was some NIMBY ("Not in my backyard") sentiment, but legitimate points were also raised -- concerns that should be able to be addressed.

Here are the comments I submitted to the school system.

RE:      Proposal that MCPS host ground-mounted solar photovoltaic systems that will generate electric power

     I write in support of the proposal that MCPS host ground-mounted solar photovoltaic systems to generate electric power, specifically the proposal to use the vacant MCPS property near the southwest corner of the intersection of Cashell Road and Continental Drive.

     I write this as a nearly 30-year resident of the neighborhood; indeed I live just a block and a half from the Cashell Road site.  Since the time we moved to the neighborhood, I have been concerned that the vacant property, while nice for some of the deer living in nearby Rock Creek Park, has not be used by MCPS nor has it generated any income for MCPS or the County.  I was thrilled to learn at the November 11 community meeting that MCPS is considering making good use of the property, not only to generate clean, non-carbon-based energy, but also to save money for MCPS that could be used for our important educational needs.  

     I do, however, have two concerns about the Cashell Road site that I am sure can (and should) be adequately addressed before MCPS moves forward.  

     First, the proposal for a security fence six feet high and topped by barbed wire could create a significant problem:  Large numbers of deer come out from nearby Rock Creek Park at dawn, dusk, and at night into all the neighborhoods, as well as the field where the solar system would be located.  I have seen deer easily hop over five-foot high fences in our neighborhood.  I fear that six-foot high fence topped by barbed wire would lead to deer being impaled on the barbed wire. The last thing we want is the necessity for the County or MCPS to have to remove dead or dying deer from the top of the fences, or to have wounded deer roaming the neighborhood (not to mention the pain it would cause to the deer).  While wild life experts could provide the best advice, it seems to me that the fence should be ten feet high to deter deer from seeking to jump over.  In any event, based on what I have seen in our own backyard, I am certain that six feet is too low.

     Second, residents of the half-dozen houses on the south side of the 5000 block of Continental Drive are legitimately concerned that the view from their backyards could be seriously damaged if they would be looking out onto a six-foot (or, of course, ten-foot) fence topped by barbed wire.  While those residents certainly had to know, when they moved in, that their currently pastoral view could be changed if MCPS decided to build a school on the site, they certainly had no reason to anticipate a fence topped by barbed wire.  In fairness, MCPS should commit to working with those homeowners to provide landscaping that would block the view of the barbed wire fences along that portion of the system. (Note:  I live on the other side of Cashell Road, away from any view of the site, and I am not personal friends with any of the impacted residents -- so my concern here is not of a NIMBY nature.)

     As a general policy matter, I agree that utilizing unused MCPS property for solar photovoltaic systems is good policy.  I am not aware of any impediments to using the Warfield Road site (although I have no specific knowledge of particular issues that might counsel against that site).  With respect to the Brickyard site, however, the presentation made at the Cashell meeting by a resident concerned about the Brickyard site was quite compelling.  She herself has solar panels on her house, but expressed concern -- something I recall being expressed by community members when MCPS considered using the site for soccer fields -- that the existing organic farm now leased on that property would be displaced.  Given the range of environmental concerns that MCPS has so positively responded to in recent years, I am inclined to agree that the organic farm should not be displaced in order to make way for a solar photovoltaic system.  

     Finally, I have one procedural comment.  MCPS really dropped the ball with respect to timely information about this proposal.  Neither of the local homeowner associations (Cherry Valley and Norbeck Meadows) were informed, nor were any of the nearby residents.  I found out about it only because I happened to notice a sign on Cashell Road (attached here) -- a sign which was taken down shortly after the November 11 community meeting.  People who tend to be suspicious of any action by government have their prejudices reinforced when an agency of government is not fully forthcoming about planned initiatives which will impact their neighborhoods.  This was illustrated by some of the negative comments at the November 11 community meeting.  As much as I disagreed with much of what those opponents were saying substantively, their procedural point was well-taken.

     Also, some at the meeting were concerned that, given the Thanksgiving holiday, December 1 was too early a deadline for public comments. While I understand the desire of MCPS to move expeditiously, given the time-sensitive nature of some of the federal or state tax incentives for solar contractors, it seems to me that extending the deadline for a month, to January 1, 2016, would be a prudent and fair move.  One month should not negatively impact on the tax incentives issue.  Again, it would be a shame if a useful proposal were undermined because people felt that MCPS was trying to slip it past them.

NOTE:  I WAS INFORMED BY MCPS THAT THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO JANUARY 1.