The Chilmark select board on Tuesday expressed support for a project to build an electric car charging station in the Chilmark School parking lot, but acknowledged that use of the charger will need to be balanced with school and community needs.
The town energy committee recently received a state grant for $43,000 to implement the charger, which will be able to charge up to two cars at once. The charger will be able to deliver full power to a car in under 30 minutes, Mr. Hannemann said. While there are electric vehicle chargers all over the Island, Mr. Hannemann said this would be the highest-powered public charger on the Vineyard.
“This level-three charger would be the first municipal fast charger on the Island,” Mr. Hannemann said.
Installation is expected to be completed by the middle of 2023 for the charger, Mr. Hannemann said. The project will involve finding a contractor to provide the hardware and software as well as partnering with Eversource. The project qualifies for the utility company’s Make Ready program, which covers all of the infrastructure costs associated with electric charger installation.
Chilmark School principal Susan Stevens expressed concern about the location of the charger, saying it takes up two parking spaces at the school. Ms. Stevens was also concerned about safety, particularly if people are able to use the charger while school is in session.
“There are other places on the campus that have a lot more parking that is not utilized…so I hate to lose a couple spots,” Ms. Stevens said. “I just want to make sure that we ask people to stay in their cars or make it so they can only come after school is out.”
The charger will be used most in the summer when school is out, Mr. Hannemann said. Mr. Hannemann also supported the idea of limiting charger use to after-school hours during the school year.
“People will walk across the street and get a cup of coffee at the Chilmark store, walk back and leave,” Mr. Hannemann said. “I certainly believe that these are either non-problems or solvable problems.”
Suellen Lazarus, the president of the Chilmark town affairs council, said the school parking lot gets even busier over the summer because of camps and counselor parking.
“That’s where people drop their littlest children, the three to five year olds, off. And there’s a lot of traffic in the morning,” Ms. Lazarus said. “As part of your analysis on the space, we would ask that what goes on in the morning during the summer be observed.”
Selectman James Malkin said the usage and placement of the chargers will need to be considered as the project proceeds. Each selectman expressed support for the project and its clean energy benefits.
“We will do the best we can to make this worthwhile for the users of the energy as well as the users of the parking spaces,” Mr. Malkin said.
