OBSERVER Photo by M.J. Stafford Van Buren Road, near its intersection with Chestnut Street, is pictured Thursday. A solar farm is proposed for the wooded area at the right.

The Pomfret Town Board set a public hearing for a proposed solar energy farm — and board members made clear that they are not inclined to approve the project.

“I’m not anti-solar at all,” town Supervisor Dan Pacos said. “But to my mind, it’s too close to a residential neighborhood.”

RIC Energy wants to clear part of what is now a wooded area on Van Buren Road, just past the Chestnut Street intersection, and erect solar panels there. The company proposes landscape plantings and conservation of part of the 24.47 acre parcel, which abuts a residential neighborhood on Bernett Drive in Fredonia, so neighbors won’t see the project.

Pomfret board members appear unimpressed.

“Taking out all those vegetation and trees will create a much worse drainage issue for people around there,” said Ann Eckman, who also noted she and others do recreational activities on the site such as riding ATVs.

“It’s too close to homes with families and kids. … Balls go over fences and kids like to climb fences,” Pacos said.

John Sedota wondered if a public hearing was even needed, because no one on the board appears to support the project. Brett Christy said he wanted to hear from the public on the matter.

“They’ve made their application, the code officer has reviewed it, go forward with the hearing,” advised Town Attorney Jeff Passafaro. “They’re entitled to it.”

Board members then toyed with the idea of setting the hearing on a different night than the next regularly scheduled meeting, as they anticipate many critics of the plan showing up. In the end, they did schedule it for the next meeting night, June 9 — but set it at 5:45 p.m., 45 minutes before the regular meeting is to begin.

Eckman stated that it is important for the public to know that plans for the project are available for viewing at Pomfret Town Hall.