By Marcella Peyre-Ferry
Contributing Writer

There were questions from residents, but no direct objections to the proposed installation of a solar generation array during a conditional-use hearing that took place before the regular township meeting in West Nottingham on March 25.

The conditional-use hearing was held for township officials to consider the application of West Nottingham CSG 1, LLC and West Nottingham CSG 2  LLC, for solar generating arrays at 10 State Line Road. 

The property is located in the township’s industrial zone, but is currently used for agriculture.  Hayley Effler,  the senior project development manager for Dimension Energy, testified that the two LLCs will be subsidiaries of Dimension Energy. The property will be subdivided so that each of the two unmanned arrays is on a separate parcel with a third parcel for the remaining farmland and wetlands. Effler said that additional solar arrays could be placed on the remaining property, if it is feasible.

Each array will be able to generate 3 megawatts, which is the state’s maximum amount allowed. No water or sewer service will be needed at the unmanned sites. The expected life of the array is 25 to 35 years.

Each array will be individually fenced with a 7-foot chain link fence, plus there will be evergreen screening. For maintenance, the proposal is to use sheep for grazing to keep the vegetation under control.  There is also potential for beekeeping on the sites.

Although the property is within the industrial zone, the township has not adopted an ordinance that deals with solar generation. There is a solar energy ordinance in the works that has yet to be approved. 

Dimension’s attorney, Debra Shulski of Riley Riper Hollin & Colagreco, provided the board with several suggested revisions to that proposed ordinance including following PUC rules, use of non-reflective coating on the solar panels, and providing a decommissioning plan and a bond to cover the estimated costs of that removal.

The meeting room was filled with over two dozen people for the hearing, many with questions for the applicants. The township ordinance requires all property owners within 1,000 feet to be notified of the hearing in advance, and a few became parties to the hearing. Shulski objected to the inclusion of three neighbors located just across the street from the site because they are outside the township in Maryland. Because of their proximity, the board allowed them to be parties to the case.

One neighboring property owner expressed concerns over property values if the solar arrays are approved. Effler testified that they have done studies and have found that small projects like these do not have an impact on property values. 

There is some expected increase in local tax revenue when the property is reassessed at the time of the construction. Effler stated that there would be no cost to township taxpayers.

The West Nottingham Township Board of Supervisors closed the hearing without making a decision at this time. If the application is approved, the next step would be the submission of a subdivision and land development plan. Upgrades to the nearest PECO substation to enable it to handle the energy supply will have to be made before the construction of the solar generation array can take place.