Somssich: Portsmouth needs solar energy and climate action – AOL

Recently St. John’s Episcopal Church of Portsmouth received pushback from the city HDC (Historic District Commission) for their plan to install solar panels on their church Parish House (not a historic building), and an opinion piece by Gerry Duffy pointed out that even Benjamin Franklin could have had problems installing lightning rods on the homes in the historic district. These stories underscore the need for the HDC to significantly revise its current rules regarding energy efficiency measures and solar panel installations in our historic district. Many church communities in Portsmouth are looking for ways to address climate change issues and be responsible stewards of our planet as part of their religious mission. Perhaps, the interfaith organizations on the Seacoast could agree on a joint approach to this issue.

The HDC is not staffed with energy efficiency or renewable energy experts. Most members however are well-versed in issues regarding historic preservation and historic aesthetics.

That is why they should disengage from the energy issues debate and focus on their primary mission. Issues regarding renewable energy and solar collectors should be reassigned to other groups, e.g. the Portsmouth Energy Advisory Committee, the Sustainability Committee, or to outside experts who could provide the city with recommendations on these issues. The City Council is likewise limited in their expertise in these areas, and is not a good choice to be a gatekeeper. However, they too should listen to the advice given them by more knowledgeable individuals.

Most residents recognize the fact that our historic downtown is a treasure and tourist magnet that needs protection. That is and should be the mission of the HDC.

There are, however, numerous issues in our historic district that seem to have been ignored in the past by the HDC. We no longer have thatched roofs, outdoor privies, separate sources of drinking water, nor do we do much open-hearth cooking. We now have city water and sewer service, electricity, as well as phone and cable service. All these historically inaccurate amenities have been sanctioned by the HDC. Also, some HDC members seem to claim that if one looks up and discovers a solar panel on the roof in the historic district, we should be offended. However, when I look up in a historic district neighborhood, I see ugly utility poles, wires, and multiple cable connections cross-crossing either side of the street, all of which offends my aesthetics. These utilities should have been buried in a historic district. Why has this not been a target for the HDC?

Not only are there historic buildings in the historic district, there are also people. We now live in the 21st century, and all Portsmouth residents who wish to install efficient windows and doors, better insulation for older homes and install solar collectors in a tasteful way on their roof to contribute to the mitigation of climate change should be allowed to do so within reasonable guidelines. These residents would be reducing the effects of climate change, by using renewable energy sources, and reducing their energy costs, while reducing the burden on our energy grid.

The HDC should be a partner in these efforts and not a barrier. Much older cities in Europe have already adapted to this new reality and are encouraging this movement. Portsmouth should find a way to join them.

Peter Somssich, is a former state representative and a member of the Portsmouth Energy Advisory Committee.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Somssich: Portsmouth needs solar energy and climate action