Dexter council looking at non-binding solar referendum questions

DEXTER — The town of Dexter currently has a moratorium on commercial solar arrays in place through the spring of 2026. In order to determine where the community should go from there, the town council is considering a non-binding referendum concerning residential and commercial solar.

“It would help give us as a council guidance on what the community wants,” Councilor Adam Briggs said during an Aug. 11 meeting.

The council passed a motion to have residential and commercial solar both defined and have a question included on an upcoming referendum to gauge the public’s thoughts, such as November’s or next June’s.

Earlier this year Town Manager Trampas King met with legal counsel to look at specific differences between commercial and residential solar arrays in terms of municipal ordinances.

Questions concerned the size of larger residential solar systems, which could potentially cover more land than commercial outfits and still be exempt from the ordinance, and the definitions of medium and larger arrays.

In March the council extended a moratorium on commercial solar arrays for another year as the planning board develops the more comprehensive ordinance to regulate what kind of developments would be permitted in town,

The latest moratorium was put in place for a year, as opposed to a previous moratorium that was only 180 days. It is the second time the moratorium has been extended since first going into effect in May 2024. 

With the moratorium in place, the town can temporarily pause any new solar farm development while more permanent measures are developed. The moratorium is based on the development’s size, and does not apply to solar panels that homeowners or small businesses may install. 

In other business, the council sent a potential sign ordinance to the planning board for development. 

Many signs are being posted in certain sections of town, such as in front of the post office, Council Chair Andrew Bermudez said.

“No signs are being seen anymore because there’s so many there,” he said.

Rules for how long signs can be posted would be developed by the planning board in a proposed ordinance, as well potentially requiring contact information on the back of the person placing the sign.

The council is also looking at potential ordinances concerning eligibility on the SAD 46 Board of Directors in terms of nepotism and conflicts of interest.

Each will be reviewed by legal counsel and could be discussed more at the September council meeting.

The previous Saturday featured Dexter’s eighth annual Maine Red Hot Dog Festival with thousands of visitors coming to town. The event serves as a fundraiser for the Dexter Development Association which sponsors the day along with a number of other corporate partners and it is designed to attract a large number of people to the town where they will see all that Dexter has to offer and to simply have fun.

“I can’t thank the volunteers, sponsors, vendors and businesses enough, they all gave so much,” Town Manager Trampas King said.

At the start of the meeting King recognized residents John and Diane Parola for their numerous volunteer efforts over the years, including the Maine Red Hot Dog Festival.

A gift has been made to the Dexter Development Association in the name of John and Diane Parola for a family pavilion at the Lake Wassookeag public beach.