21.321 An Order Authorizing the Lease of Rooftop Space on Bridge Street, Leeds and Ryan Road Elementary Schools for Solar PV Arrays - CertifiedCity of Northampton
MASSACHUSETTS
In City Council September 22, 2021
Upon recommendation of the Mayor
21.321 An Order Authorizing the Lease of Rooftop Space on Bridge Street, Leeds, and Ryan Road
Elementary Schools for Solar Photovoltaic Arrays
Ordered, that
Whereas, Mayor Narkewicz committed and City Council endorsed a goal for Northampton to
be a net carbon neutral city by 2050, and
Whereas, installing solar photovoltaic arrays on school facilities will reduce greenhouse gas
and carbon emissions resulting from school operations, and
Whereas, in order to avoid unnecessary cost, it is best practice that a roof that is slated to hold
a solar photovoltaic array have sufficient life remaining so that re-roofing is unlikely to be
needed during the lifetime of the solar array; and
Whereas, Bridge Street Elementary, Leeds Elementary, and Ryan Road Elementary Schools
have all recently undergone roof replacements and thus re-roofing is unlikely to be needed
during the lifetime of solar photovoltaic arrays installed on said roofs; and
Whereas, city residents Morey Phippen and Brian Adams, acting through Phippenadams, LLC,
have generously offered to fund the installation of three solar photovoltaic arrays on the roofs of
Bridge Street Elementary, Leeds Elementary, and Ryan Road Elementary Schools and a six-year
lease is a condition precedent to the grant of the array as a gift to the city; and
Whereas, on September 9, 2021, the Northampton School Committee voted unanimously to
surplus the three school roofs in support of this important renewable energy project; and
Whereas, M.G.L. c. 30B, § 16 requires a vote of the City Council to surplus any interest in public
property prior to its disposal,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
The City Council declares surplus a leasehold interest in the roofs of Bridge Street Elementary
School located at 2 Parsons St, Northampton, Leeds Elementary School located at 20 Florence
St, Leeds, and Ryan Road Elementary School located at 498 Ryan Rd, Northampton, and
authorizes the Mayor to execute a six-year lease for said roofs on such terms and conditions as
the Mayor deems reasonable, subject, however, to the following restrictions: