North Huntingdon officials are moving closer to joining other Westmoreland County municipalities in passing an ordinance to govern solar power installations.
The township commissioners met this month to request revisions to a proposed ordinance regulating solar power arrays.
Harry Faulk, township manager, said a third draft of the regulations should be available for review and a possible vote in January.
The revised draft, authored by assistant manager Ryan Fonzi, maintains requirements for large utility-scale systems, including a minimum of 50 acres and a 250-foot setback from all property lines.
The proposal also addresses residential installations. Solar panels would be permitted in all residential areas, provided they only power structures on that specific lot. In those areas, rooftop panels cannot exceed 2 feet above the roof surface; in non-residential areas, the limit is 4 feet.
Commissioner Jason Atwood said he was pleased that references to wind energy were removed from the draft. He noted that Department of Energy regulations require wind turbine towers to be 30 feet higher than any obstacle within 300 feet, which he said would be too tall for residential neighborhoods.
“The wind turbine energy system is probably something the township should not have now,” Atwood said.
Other commissioners pushed for stricter oversight on equipment and long-term maintenance.
Commissioner Kevin McHugh suggested language requiring a rapid disconnect feature for the systems.
McHugh and Fonzi also discussed decommissioning. While the draft already addresses the end of a system’s life cycle, Fonzi said he would add a requirement for owners to provide a cost estimate for removal. The township would then hold a portion of that cost in escrow.
McHugh noted that Mt. Pleasant Township uses similar language to ensure the municipality has the power to re-evaluate the removal process.
The push for the ordinance followed a January decision by the zoning board to approve a Bear Peak Power LLC project. The Denver-based company plans to build a solar system on 30 acres of the 400-acre Schade family farm on Schade Hill Road.
The zoning board ruled that building a solar farm in a residential zone is an essential service under existing township rules. Bear Peak Power intends to build a 6-megawatt array to connect with FirstEnergy Corp. lines. Because the power would be distributed to the public, the project is classified as a public utility and requires approval from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.
Paul Schade, one of the owners of the farm, said Friday that the company has not provided an update on an installation date. He noted that Bear Peak Power is still working to obtain necessary government approvals.
A spokesperson for Bear Peak Power could not be reached for comment.