North Annville Township supervisors voted unanimously to approve a private solar plant ordinance for the municipality at their June 9 meeting.
Prior to the vote, township attorney Paul Bametzreider said the zoning ordinance was written in a way to prevent individuals from profiting from the installation of solar units. One condition limits private solar plants to a maximum designed output that can’t exceed 125 percent of a property’s owners documented annual consumption.
“It won’t go into the grid, it’s for saving money on your electric bill,” Beametzreider said. “It is permissible in agricultural and manufacturing zones.”
He said the ordinance is defined as applying to “solar application and supporting equipment, installed on land for the collection and generation of solar energy for the sole purpose of providing electricity for the property owner’s private use.”
He added the ordinance contains 12 conditions that apply to those specific designated zones where solar units are permissible.
Bametzreider said the ordinance limits operations to generation of three megawatts of power for the output of any private solar plant installation, must include a visual screen that prohibits viewing from the highway, and have a minimum 100-foot setback from any neighboring property lines or public road.
Lebanon Valley College attorney Dave Tshudy said the new project will provide 58 percent of the electricity for the electrical needs across campus.
In answering a question from the audience about placing the panels on structures, Mike Mumper, facilities director for the college, said building limitations prevent installing enough panels on rooftops only to generate 3 megawatts of power.
Bametzreider informed attendees that the ordinance was reviewed extensively by the township’s planning commission, noting that members made a number of revisions during the drafting process.
In a separate informational item, township secretary Adam Wolfe announced that workers have cleared both sides of the banks at the closed railroad bridge on Clear Spring Road and have performed core drilling at the site to inspect the foundation.
Wolfe said when asked by a local resident that no timeline for reopening Clear Spring Road has been provided to township officials.
In other business, supervisors voted unanimously to:
- Send complaint notices to a number of township residents for various violations of township ordinances.
- Accept the police, emergency services advisory committee, road, and fire company reports.
- Read and approve paying monthly township invoices.
- Approve the minutes of their May 12 meeting, as amended, and the treasurer’s report.
North Annville Township supervisors meet the second Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Union Water Works Social Hall, 2875 Water Works Way, Annville.
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