MATTAPOISETT – Selectmen have declined a parcel of land on Crystal Spring Road for town use, and have agreed to let the privately-owned land be taken out of Chapter 61B status for development as a photovoltaic array.

Chapter 61B is designated for recreational use and allows landowners to be taxed at a much lower rate than commercial or residential land.

The owner of the 56.2 acres on Crystal Spring Road, Dennis Mahoney & Sons, plans to lease the land to BlueWave Capital LLC, of Boston, for the development of a large scale solar energy gathering field, Mattapoisett Town Administrator Michael Gagne said at selectmen’s Oct. 28 meeting. The company stated in its state Environmental Notification Form that it plans to use 20.84 acres for development of a solar field.

"I would recommend not to exercise the option (of the right of first refusal)," Gagne said to selectmen at the board’s Oct. 28 meeting. "I do not see any need for the town to lease a parcel of land at this location, so I would recommend not to exercise the option."

All three selectmen agreed and gave up the option.

The Crystal Spring Road property is appraised at $1.36 million, but under its current Chapter 61B status, the land is assessed at $464,900, according to Mattapoisett Tax Assessor Kathleen Costello. The taxes on the land will significantly rise when everything is finalized, she said.

Meanwhile, Dennis Mahoney & Sons has leased its former Chapter 61B land on Tinkham Hill Road for a photovoltaic array to SunEdison, a St. Peters, Missouri-based company, known prior to May of 2013 as MEMC Electronic Materials. SunEdison is a manufacturer of silicon wafers for the semiconductor industry.

The town also plans to lease land at the closed town dump for the construction of a solar field, but that is still in development. Details were not readily available.

Because leases have yet to be finalized, town officials said no dollar figure has been stated as to what the town will gain from all of the proposed solar projects, however, officials have said privately that the tax income for the town will be significant. The Sentinel will continue to follow these stories as they develop.