North Andover (MA) Planning Board - September 8, 2026

The North Andover (MA) Planning Board met on September 8, 2026, to discuss several agenda items including bond releases and potential zoning bylaw amendments related to solar, clean energy, and wind facilities. The board approved the release of several bonds, including a significant $340,000 bond for roadway construction associated with Avalon Communities' development. The primary focus of the meeting was a detailed presentation by the town planner on new state regulations requiring municipalities to adopt consolidated permitting processes for small clean energy projects under 25 megawatts, including solar, wind, anaerobic digestion, and battery electric storage systems. The presentation covered current zoning conditions, project size thresholds, environmental site suitability scoring, and the proposed local adoption timeline to comply with state mandates by October 1, 2026. The board reviewed proposed zoning bylaw amendments consolidating clean energy regulations into a new Article 21, including updated permitting tiers based on energy generation capacity rather than project size, and provisions for battery electric storage systems with safety and environmental standards. The discussion included potential local discretion on environmental mitigation fees, application requirements, and design standards. No final votes on the zoning amendments were recorded, indicating ongoing review and future sessions planned for further consideration.