NH court: You can’t deny solar arrays just because neighbors think they’re ugly

From New Hampshire Bulletin:
In a unanimous decision last week, the NH Supreme Court court overturned the Franklin Planning Board’s denial of a solar project that met the city’s zoning ordinance but was opposed by neighbors who argued it would ruin the scenery and bring down their property values. 

Then, in a move not often seen, the justices essentially approved the project, which would sit on about six acres of a 96-acre former Franklin golf course, by issuing a “builder’s remedy,” which allows a project to move forward if it meets zoning ordinances. 

In its ruling, the court said a board cannot deny projects that comply with ordinances based on its “own personal feelings.” Franklin has a solar ordinance and has permitted solar farms elsewhere, including an industrial park.