Newport's water utility pitched floating solar panels on two Portsmouth reservoirs, saying shade could curb algae. The Planning Board took no vote and moved stormwater rules and a storage hearing to Dec. 10.
Newport's water utility and its solar partners want to float solar panels on Sisson Pond and a second reservoir in Portsmouth. They said the shade could reduce algae, warming and evaporation. Board members raised questions about views, noise and where the power would go. No vote was taken, and town staff said the approval path is still undecided. Separately, Portsmouth has no post-construction stormwater ordinance; a draft returns December 10 with possible changes. A self-storage hearing on West Main Road was also moved to that date.
Portsmouth, R.I. — The Portsmouth Planning Board on Thursday night heard an early pitch from the City of Newport Utilities Department to put floating solar panels on two reservoirs in Portsmouth. The board also pushed a proposed stormwater ordinance and a self-storage hearing on West Main Road to a December 10 meeting, according to the Portsmouth Planning Board's published meeting recording.
No vote was taken on the solar idea. It was a pre-application review, an informal early look that lets an applicant hear a board's questions before filing formal plans. One member summed it up during the discussion: "tonight we're not even giving an opinion."
The agenda listed the item as a conceptual review for Bluewave and Laketricity, applicants for the City of Newport, covering floating solar on Sisson Pond and a second Newport reservoir off Union Street.
Robert Schultz Jr. of the City of Newport Utilities Department said every reservoir that supplies water across five municipalities is impaired, meaning polluted. He said the city sees the project as more than a solar installation. Shading the water, he said, could mean fewer algae blooms, cooler water and less evaporation. "If this was just a solar project, we wouldn't be standing here," Schultz said.
He said the city sought qualifications and proposals two or three years ago and chose the current team. He said the two sites were picked partly because transmission lines run right there.
Nathalie Johnson-Birac, managing director of one of the floating solar companies, said the firm has built more than 350 projects globally and 45 in the United States. She said the company was formed 10 years ago and is headquartered in California.
The presenters said the floats are made of the same type of plastic used for water pipes, are anchored to the bank or bottom, and can be dismantled and removed. They said the arrangement with Newport would be a lease of at least 20 years, with possible extensions. Asked how much Newport would invest, the answer given was "Zero, zero," with a lease that would provide revenue depending on the project's final size.
Asked whether the problem justified the project, the presenters said Newport spends six figures every year treating for algae alone, "and it's probably not enough." Asked how much the panels would change that, the answer was "Don't know."
Board members pressed on several points. One member who said they live on Union Street asked how the panels would handle drought and low water. The presenters said the floats move up and down with the water level.
A member said residents near past solar farms have complained about lost views and property values. That member said the proposal would get more traction if the electricity stayed on Aquidneck Island. The presenters said how the power would be sold has not been finalized.
A member noted that neighbors of past projects complained about transformer hum. The presenters said noise would need to be studied and that the project is at a concept stage. Another member raised cattle and horses that drink from Sisson Pond. The presenters said neighbors have no rights to the water but the utility has allowed that use to keep good relationships.
The presenters said the system would connect directly to the utility, with no battery storage. A board member noted that the Town Council, as of its last meeting, was considering banning battery backup storage in town. Members also asked about ice, snow, birds and maintenance. The presenters said crews would inspect the panels twice a year, and Newport water staff visit each reservoir at least weekly.
On bankruptcy risk, the presenters said there would likely be two or three bonds or similar guarantees, including for removal.
A town official said the Planning Department still has to work with Newport to figure out the approval process. Options discussed included a special use permit, Planning Board approval, or treating it as a utility use. The official said "this is not a land use that's identified in our zoning at all" and that legal help would be needed.
No one online raised a hand to comment. Town Planner Lea Hitchen asked anyone with questions to contact her by phone or email. She said she would route them to the companies or to Schultz. The presenters said the utility would post the presentation and documents on its website.
The board was scheduled to give the Town Council an advisory recommendation on a draft post-construction stormwater ordinance, Chapter 337. Those rules govern drainage systems that stay in place after a project is built. Instead, the board voted to continue the item to the December 10 meeting, by voice vote, after a motion seconded by member Frank Rego.
A town official said Portsmouth currently has no post-construction stormwater ordinance at all. The official called it "another tool in our toolbox."
A consultant from Weston & Sampson walked the board through the draft. The consultant said it would apply to all development and redevelopment, with exemptions for small projects such as additions and minor landscaping and for certain public works jobs. Non-exempt projects would need Planning Board approval. Applicants would submit a stormwater plan prepared by a licensed professional engineer.
The draft emphasizes low-impact development, which uses small, site-level features to reduce runoff. It also emphasizes stricter treatment near polluted waters. The consultant said those sections were strengthened because the state Department of Environmental Management has told other towns to make their ordinances more specific on those points.
Under the draft, property owners would maintain their stormwater systems, such as ponds or rain gardens, under recorded agreements that pass to new owners. The town would have inspection authority and could issue daily penalties. If an owner does not fix a problem, the consultant said, the town could make repairs and recover the cost, including through a lien collected when a property is sold.
Several ideas came up during discussion. One was requiring Municipal Court approval before the town makes non-emergency repairs, so owners could dispute whether work is needed. The consultant called that reasonable and suggested letting the town choose. Another was requiring maintenance plans to be recorded before a property is sold or occupied. Members also raised homeowners associations that dissolve or lose track of who maintains a system.
The consultant said inspections would follow each owner's maintenance plan, with records kept by the owner and available to the town. The consultant described the ordinance as "set up to be a backend tool," adding that a more proactive approach would cost staff time and carry liability. Asked about state housing laws, the consultant said there should be no conflict because the ordinance sits outside zoning.
The agenda listed a public hearing on Highland Development Ventures LLC's preliminary plan for five self-storage structures on West Main Road. The company's attorney asked for a continuance. The attorney said a neighbor meeting the prior Thursday produced suggestions that may lead to changes in landscaping and siding.
A member noted the board does not typically meet in December. The board then voted by voice vote to continue the hearing to a December 10 meeting.
Hitchen reported that she approved an administrative subdivision on Union Street at the site of a former landscaping business. She said a new owner is reconfiguring lot lines to add another house after receiving Zoning Board approval. The board also approved the October 7 minutes by voice vote.
The stormwater ordinance and the West Main Road self-storage hearing return at the board's Thursday, December 10 meeting. Questions about the floating solar proposal can go to Hitchen at the Planning Department.
This story was sourced from the complete transcript of the meeting and carefully summarized with an LLM. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, the possibility of transcription errors could lead to inaccuracies. How we report meeting stories →
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Portsmouth renewed its annual liquor licenses and heard that Bristol, Hopkinton, Glocester and others pledged money for the town's housing lawsuit.

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