www.pvhabitat.org ~ PO Box 60642 Florence, MA 01062 ~ 413-586-5430 ~ Page 1 of 2

February 14, 2019 City of Northampton Planning Board 210 Main Street Northampton, MA 01060 Dear Planning Board, Thank you for reviewing this special permit amendment application. The project has proceeded largely as originally approved with only minor changes to the site plan. However, we would like you to consider a waiver of tree replacement requirements per the updated 2018 significant tree bylaw. Construction on lots 2, 3, & 4 is well underway. Lots 3 & 4 have modular homes specially designed to reach a zero net energy goal and lot #2 will house a nearly identical home to the modulars that we will be building on site. Permits have been issued for these three houses and projected HERS ratings are attached. Each home has a footprint of approximately 600 sq ft and a finished floor area of 1,200 sq ft. The homes on lots 2, 3 & 4 are a modern two story design with a low pitch roof facing the south. The home on lot #1 is currently in design and we expect to apply for a building permit in 2019. This house is being designed for energy efficiency and orientated for solar access – but a final determination of the ability to meet zero net energy will not be made until the lot is cleared and the designs finalized. The placement of the houses was fine-tuned to maximize solar access within the limited clearing area established under the original permit. The driveway area to the south was critical for solar access as well as clearing as much as possible to the east and west of the homes. I have attached a letter from our solar installer PV Squared confirming that trees #7, #8, #9, #10, #12, #13, #14, #15 and #16 needed to be cleared for solar access to the homes. All homes in this development will be sold to low-income buyers earning less than 60% of the Area Median Income and permanently protected through a deed restriction. A regulatory agreement between Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity, the city of Northampton and DHCD has been recorded in the registry of deeds to make this commitment to deed restricted affordability binding. Thank you for considering the public benefit that making these affordable homes zero net energy will provide. We believe that our request for a waiver is warranted, please let me know if you have any questions. In community, Megan McDonough, Executive Director Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity megan@pvhabitat.org, 413-586-5430

www.pvhabitat.org ~ PO Box 60642 Florence, MA 01062 ~ 413-586-5430 ~ Page 2 of 2

Attachments: - Tree replacement schedule (see below) - Letter from PV Squared - Projected HERS ratings by Power House - Elevations of homes by Simple City Studios - Solar array layout by PV Squared - Site plan dated 9/28/18 by T Reynolds Engineering

Tree replacement schedule: For each inch of Diameter at Breast Height (BH) of the removed trees there shall be no less than one-half inch of Caliper Diameter of replacement trees

Tree # lot # BH Diameter - inches

cut for solar

Adjusted BH diameter inches

0 street 20+ 1 4 26 26 2 4 30 30 3 4 24 24 4 4 26 26 5 4 30 30 6 4 21 21 7 4 24 yes 8 4 26 yes 9 2 32 yes

10 4 25 yes 11 3 28 28 12 4 23 yes 13 4 22 yes 14 3 24 yes 15 4 24 yes 16 4 28 yes

Total BH 413 185 Current replacement requirement (lots 2, 3 & 4): 413” BH = 206.5” Caliper Diameter replacement trees

With waiver: 185” BH = 92.5” caliper diameter of replacement trees

February 13, 2019

City of Northampton Planning Board

210 Main Street Northampton, MA 01060

Dear Planning Board,

PV Squared is working with Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity to help them achieve their goal of

zero net energy for three homes on Glendale Rd. We have analyzed the solar shading and designed

the PV systems that will be installed on lots 2, 3 & 4 of this project. The very tall pine trees on this

site and the adjacent conservation land made this a challenging goal.

As shown on the site plan dated 9/28/18 by T Reynolds Engineering the clearing of trees #7, #8, #9,

#10, #12, #13, #14, #15 and #16 was critical to providing solar access for PV production for homes

on lots 2, 3 & 4. These trees are highlighted below – all to the south of the 3 homes.

PV Squared performed a solar evaluation at the subject properties on July 16, 2018 following com-

pletion of site clearing activities for the building lots. Prior to site development, the building lots

were fully forested primarily with mature white pines in excess of 100 feet tall. Maximum allowable

tree clearing under existing permitting requirements has been completed at building where the

proposed residences will be located. Solar access at these lots prior to tree clearing was 0%.

Based on solar access data obtained with a Solmetric Suneye after tree clearing, an aggregate annu-

al solar access of 70% for building sites at Lots 3 and 4 was achieved. Rooftop solar array capacities

for the residences are designed at 9.12 kW DC with estimated annual solar generation of about

7,200 kWh AC.

Sincerely,

Pioneer Valley Photovoltaics Cooperative

Daniel Gomez, Operations team

2' - 6"

4' -

0"2'

- 6"

2' - 6" 3' - 10"8' - 0"

2' -

6"4'

- 0"

LEVEL 2

LEVEL 1

HARDIEPANEL

9' -

6"10

' - 8

"

21' -

0"

TOP OF ROOF

4' -

0"

2' - 6"

4' -

0"

3' - 10" 2' - 6" 8' - 0"

2' -

6"3'

- 0"

LEVEL 2

LEVEL 1

HARDIEPANEL

TOP OF ROOF

1' - 6"2' - 6"

4' -

0"

4' -

0"

1' - 6"2' - 6"

7' -

0"

2' - 8"9' - 3 1/2"1' - 6"

15' - 5 1/2"

3' -

0"

3' -

0"

HARDIEPANEL

21' -

0"

44' - 4"

4' -

0"4'

- 0"

2' - 6"2' - 0"3' - 0"

2' - 6" 2' - 0"3' - 0"

3' - 0"

6' -

8"

2' - 0"3' - 0"

4' -

0"4'

- 0"

2' - 0"3' - 0" 2' - 0"

2' -

0"2'

- 0"

2' - 0"4' - 0" 4' - 1"3' - 0"

1' - 8" 2' -

6"2'

- 8"4' -

8"

2' -

8"2'

- 6" 4' -

6"

4' - 0" 5' - 0" 19' - 8" 11' - 7" 4' - 1"

1x6 CEDARBOARDS

HARDIEPANEL

21' -

0"

CLIENT

DRAWING

SCALE

SETSIMPLECITYSTUDIO

ADDRESS

DRAWN BYDATE

SIMPLE CITY STUDIO LLC

857.225.2779 / 206.375.5126

Architecture Interiors & Planningwww.simplecitystudio.com

2 Juniper St Florence MA

STAMP CONSULTANTS PROJECT

1/8" = 1'-0"

A105EXTERIORELEVATIONS

Glendale RdNorthampton MA PERMIT

PV Habitat for Humanity08/015/18 MTBAffordable Housing Dev.

1/8" = 1'-0"1 East

1/8" = 1'-0"2 West

1/8" = 1'-0"3 North

1/8" = 1'-0"4 South

548" roof

532

3

4

" array

18

4"

10

3

4

"

23

"

15

"

24

1

2

"

15

"

24

1

2

"

15

"

24

1

2

"3

1

1

2

"

2"

7

1

2

" 7

1

2

"

Plan View

ESTIMATED BILL OF MATERIALS

PART: MAKE & MODEL NO:

RAIL17' - Ironridge XR100

8

RAIL14' - Ironridge XR100

16

SPLICEIronridge XR100

16

BASEL-feet on OMG Power Grip

96

MOD. REC285TP2 32

PROJECT NOTES:

1. Array to be centered in South-facing roof

plane.

2. Exact framing location to be verified on

site.

3. Slide rail assembly as needed to avoid

interfering with splices or bases.

4. Unless otherwise noted bases are

staggered and spaced at 48" O.C.

5. Max. allowable rail span is 48".

6. Max. allowable rail cantilever is 16".

7. Additional or alternative bases may be

used in response to actual roof profile to

comply with rail equipment

specifications.

8. Keep splices at least 2" from bases and

midclamps.

9. Keep splices with 1/3 base-to-base span

of either base.

10. Module frame dimension is 65.5" x 37.4"

x 1.9".

11. Clamp centerline to be within 5" and 10"

of short end of the module frame.

12. Torque UFO clamps to 80 in-lbs.

13. Torque L-Feet-to-rail nuts to 250 in-lbs.

14. Roof material is rubber membrane

REVISIONS

# DESCRIPTION DATE

N

PAGE:

TITLE:

BY:

SHEET:

SIZE:

SCALE:

DATE:

FDN #:

JOB:

SITE:

PV Squared Solar

311 Wells Street, Suite B

Greenfield, MA 01301

design@pvsquared.coop

413-772-8788

Habitat - Glendale

Northampton

129 &133 Glendale Rd

Northampton MA 01060

Array Layout

DG

9/24/2018

1/4" = 1'-0"

11" x 17"

1 / 1

N/A

A-01

N

ROO FTOP RIDGEROOF TOP EDGE

ROOF DRIP LINEROOF DRIP LINE

3" vents @ 14" away from outside wall

SIP Panels TIJ @ 48" O.C.

Ecofasten L-Feet on OMG Power Grip bases

attached to roof structure by Vermod building

manufacturer as indicated .

5" rail clamp range (starting 5"

from the module edge)

Building exterior face wall projection

14" vent clearance

Ironridge XR100 railing

assembly

24

1

4

"

15

7

3

4

" a

rra

y

24

1

4

"

2"

Attachments

Rail assembly

Rail clamp range