CONWAY — The Planning Board is ready to begin a conversation on possible zoning bylaw changes for large-scale solar facilities, such as potentially establishing new setback or size restrictions or requiring a special permit.

The bylaw, which was last amended in 2015 as part of the Green Communities grant, does not pertain to residential solar structures or small-scale rooftop solar panels, according to Planning Board Chair Beth Girshman.

The board is scheduled to meet on Thursday, Feb. 18, for an informational session, which will be held via Zoom at bit.ly/Feb18InfoSession or by phone at 1-929-205-6099.

“This is our informational session, so we’re just starting to gather what people might be interested in focusing on,” Girshman said. “We are looking at regional towns in our area to see any changes they’re considering as well.”

In a press release, Girshman explained that as part of the 2008 Global Warming Solutions Act, Massachusetts set mandated greenhouse emission reduction targets, including an 80 percent reduction in emissions by 2020. To reach these targets, “large amounts of renewable electricity-generating capacity will have to be added to the New England grid.”

Although state law prohibits excessive regulations for large-scale solar projects, it does allow for “prudent regulation,” Girshman said. Reviewing Conway’s bylaw is in acknowledgement to the fact that solar is a “growing industry.”

“We’re in a region of the state where there’s more open land and more … solar companies are going to be looking to build out here,” she said. “So I think it’s worthwhile.”

In 2018, Town Meeting voters passed an article authorizing the Selectboard to approve an arrangement for an approximately 5-megawatt community-shared solar project at 2394 Main Poland Road.

“Because we have a large-scale solar facility being constructed right now off of Main Poland Road, we’ve had input from abutters,” Girshman said, referring to the 23-acre solar project on private land that has been leased to Nexamp, a solar energy company. “That’s coming from lived experience from it.”

With Nexamp, customers — regardless of whether they have solar panels — subscribe to a local “solar farm” that feeds solar energy into the local electricity grid. Through a credit program, customers can see a reduction in their electricity costs.

“The community solar aspect is the way Nexamp does their thing,” she explained. “You are part of a bigger system that is providing green energy into a larger power grid when you become a customer of Nexamp.”

One aspect of the bylaw that the Planning Board is looking at in particular is that it doesn’t require a special permit process for development — though it does require a site plan review.

“That’s something we’re looking very closely at changing,” she said, noting that in the Solar Overlay District, which is town-owned land, it would be allowed by right.

Girshman added that with the new federal administration, she thinks solar — or other clean energy sources — is something that’s going to be further encouraged.

“We just want to hear from people to see what kind of direction they want us to consider,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to hearing from people about this.”

A full copy of the existing zoning bylaw for large-scale solar facilities can be found at bit.ly/39Ea8tp.

Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne