North Annville Township supervisors conditionally approve LVC’s solar project

This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

North Annville Township supervisors unanimously gave conditional approval Monday for construction of 6,700 solar panels on Lebanon Valley College’s campus. 

Solar arrays will be situated on a 12-acre parcel that sits just west of LVC’s soccer fields along Kreiderheim Lane, according to Ryan Trees, project manager with RGS Associates. The remaining 100 acres will continue to be farmed, he told supervisors. 

Trees also informed the board that the project received a clean letter from the county and a “technically” clean letter from the township’s engineer. He noted there were several items that still have to be addressed, hence the conditional approval given by supervisors following the advice of township solicitor Paul Bametzreider.

“So what they’re looking for, they’re looking for you to conditionally approve the plan, which means you approve the plan subject to fulfillment of the conditions, the slope which we’ve discussed, the televising of the line, and then also, you know, the submission of financial security and a completed O&M (Operating & Management) agreement, which is standard conditional approval for those kinds of things,” Bametzreider said. “As long as the plans themselves are good and the engineers signed off on the plans themselves, then I don’t see any problem with you conditionally approving.”

Trees said stormwater management requirements were met, including construction of two facilities as well as other accommodations required through zoning involving the placement of screening and fencing around the solar arrays.

The project’s goal, as reported by LebTown in August 2024, is to provide a significant portion of electricity for the college while reducing energy costs for LVC.

Other business

In other business, supervisors unanimously voted to: 

• Receive a preliminary report that needs to be refined concerning data centers located within the municipality.
• Receive the monthly police report, including 59 numbers being pulled, 18 moving violations, six motor vehicle accidents, one domestic violence assault that led to charges, and one reported case of fraudulent practice. The fraudulent practice involved a township resident being illegally informed there was an outstanding arrest warrant with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office and a fine totaling $30,000 that needed to be paid using BitCoin. Law enforcement agencies don’t call residents telling them that there is an outstanding arrest warrant for them. It was noted that a payment requested by BitCoin is typically fraudulent.
• Announce the fire report. March logged 15 service calls, seven training sessions, three fundraisers, administrative duties, and nine assists with the auxiliary. There were 29.53 incident hours and 202 other hours performed by company members. There will be a boot drive on May 2, an ATV training class April 18, a fundraising sale May 19, and the annual fire carnivals in Bellegrove on June 6 and June 13.
• Get a recommendation from the township planning commission concerning an ordinance to regulate fencing walls and the height of hedges. 
• Renew the township’s insurance policies with Bowman’s Insurance Agency for all policies except for firefighters, which is paid through the State Worker’s Insurance Fund. It was noted that costs had increased by about $350 over last year for a total of $35,450 in 2026.
• Pay North Lebanon Township $3,883 for sealcoating the portion of Emma Road that dips into the township. 
• Table until May consideration of approval of a retainer agreement with Herbert, Rowland & Grubic Inc. to handle public sewer matters for the township.
• Approve March 9 meeting minutes and treasurer’s report. The treasurer’s report has balances of $889,859.70 in the general fund and $22,366.16 in the sewer fund.
• Read & approve paying the monthly bills.

Next meeting

North Annville Township supervisors meet the second Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m. in the social room of the former Union Water Works Fire Company, 2875 Waterworks Way, Annville.