The Rochester Planning Board is still mulling over options to meet the renewable energy requirement in the Green Communities Act.

Being designated as a Green Community would make the town eligible for a number of potentially high-value grants, but in order to qualify for the program, towns must: Have a plan to decrease municipal energy consumption by 20 percent in five years, replace various municipal vehicles with energy-efficient ones, have a designated area in town where renewable energy installations, such as solar panels, can be installed without special permitting, and adopt building codes that require builders of new homes and commercial buildings to use more energy-efficient methods.

To meet the criterium that requires a designated area in town for renewable energy, the Planning Board is considering two options. The first would be to designate one acre on top of the landfill for solar panels, and the second is to guarantee a spot in the industrial zone for research and development of renewable resources of any kind.

Planning Board Gary Florindo had asked about the possibility of the landfill at the last meeting, and at the Aug. 28 meeting Town Planner Steve Starrett confirmed that there's more than enough room for the one-acre requirement.

"There's lot of flat room," he said. "One acre will fit up there pretty well."

He added that there are few abutters in that area, and that the panels wouldn't be visible from the homes because they would be elevated on top of the landfill.

However, the Rochester Planning Board has facilitated its fair share of public hearings with solar companies regarding solar farms in town, and it's proved to be a sensitive subject with townspeople. Planning Board member John Demaggio said he's hesitant to endorse any plan that guarantees a solar farm.

"I feel like a hypocrite pushing for a solar site when we have wave after wave of people against solar," he said. "Townspeople are up in arms saying we're pushing [solar] and of course we say we're not, but the perception is we're pushing this that direction."

However, Chair Arnie Johnson and Starrett both pointed out that the Board of Selectmen plan to put solar on top of the landfill one way or another -- either the town does it or they allow someone else to do it. The town would receive money from whichever company built on the site, as the property is owned by Rochester.

Planning Board member Ben Bailey wouldn't vote for the research and development overlay or the solar farm option, stating he doesn't support becoming a Green Communities town.

"The whole thing is an abomination," he said. "I have no support for it whatsoever."

Johnson said that whichever way the board decided to go, it wouldn't put the town at risk for a solar farm without regulation.

"One [option] is a cut and paste of our solar bylaw, the other is a cut and paste of our site plan review," he said. "We just have to designate the area."

The board decided to have Starrett present a little more information on both options before making the final decision.