Resident voices concern about potential solar farm in Derry Township

Derry Township resident Timothy Petro is concerned about the possibility of a solar farm locating on a field next to his home on Pandora Road.

If large panels for generating solar power are constructed amid his neighborhood’s mix of residential and agricultural land, he’s hoping township officials can do something to shield the equipment from public view.

“Some of the things I looked at was to be able to block that solar farm from view so the neighbors aren’t looking at it and people driving down Pandora Road aren’t going to see it,” Petro said at Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the township supervisors.

Provisions of a proactive solar farm ordinance the supervisors adopted in April require that solar arrays be set back at least 100 feet from adjoining property lines and that the equipment be enclosed by a fence or other barrier to prevent unauthorized people from entering.

At their meeting, the supervisors discussed ideas for possibly revising the ordinance — perhaps requiring that the barrier surrounding a solar farm be opaque.

“One that a lot of people seem to like is an earth wall,” Petro said. “Put a mound of dirt around the perimeter, plant something low and slow and let it grow up.”

As of Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the supervisors, no developer had applied for a permit to place a solar farm in the township — a step that is required by the township ordinance.

Petro, who lives a short distance north of Uschak Road, said it’s been about two months since he encountered crew members in the neighborhood who told him they were performing an archaeological survey in preparation for a potential solar farm development.

Petro said he’s also concerned about the negative impact living near a solar farm could have on property values in the vicinity.

“I know we can’t keep it from coming in,” he said of such a development. “What I’m hoping is they’re going to be good neighbors.”

Jim Prohaska, chairman of the supervisors, said Derry Township can do little to block construction of solar farms in the municipality. The township lacks zoning as a tool to control such development.

“Without zoning, we can’t stop it,” Prohaska said.

But the supervisors, noting the controversy over solar arrays recently completed or proposed in nearby communities, adopted an ordinance in April with some guidelines governing the power-generating facilities.

Derry Township requires that a solar farm permit application include: documentation of an agreement with the owner of the proposed site: a site plan showing any buildings, electric cabling, access roads and drainage facilities; and a schedule for eventual decommissioning of the arrays. The application process would include a public hearing.

The ordinance also requires that on-site power and transmission lines be placed underground to the extent practicable, that lighting of the facility be limited to that required by regulations or for safety reasons, and that any noise generated should not exceed 55 decibels at the property line. According to a Yale study, 55 decibels is similar in impact to the noise issuing from a household refrigerator.

The township additionally requires that solar panels be coated with an anti-reflective film and that they be situated so they won’t focus glaring light onto nearby properties.