Buffalo Township supervisors delay vote on solar farms after residents blast the plans

Buffalo Township residents voicing concerns about two proposed solar farms prompted the supervisors to postpone a vote on the facilities.

Residents were united in their opposition to SolAmerica’s proposal at two public hearings Wednesday. The hearings, which were attended by about 35 residents and went on for almost three hours, preceded a regular supervisors meeting that listed the solar farms on the agenda for a vote.

“At least at minimum, this should be tabled at the supervisors meeting to allow for further study,” Darin Alviano, a Julia Road resident, told the supervisors.

“Table this and do the research yourselves,” Bob Buterbaugh, a Grimm Road resident, implored the supervisors. “These solar panels contain cadmium and arsenic.”

In the end, supervisors chairman Ron Zampogna agreed, moving to table the matter, and the rest of the supervisors concurred. Solicitor Brian Farrington said it likely will be on the supervisors July meeting agenda.

“It’s the will of the community,” Scott Tempel, SolAmerica’s permitting manager, said after the vote. “It’s their prerogative, their decision. We want to be good neighbors.”

Michael Kissinger, an engineer with Pennoni engineering representing SolAmerica, presented the project plans.

He emphasized that the solar farms are permitted as a conditional use, which is what the company is requesting, in the township’s A-1 agricultural and C-1 commercial zones.

“We are not asking for variances; we are fully compliant with zoning,” he told the supervisors. “Ordinance 139 specifically allows for solar energy systems.”

He characterized the solar projects as having a minimal impact on the community.

One facility would be located on a 19-acre parcel along Grimm Road while the other would be built on an 81-acre tract along Bear Creek Road.

Hundreds of 4-foot-wide by 8-foot-high solar panels would be installed on the sites to capture energy from the sun’s rays and transform it into electricity.

The electricity would be channeled into the regional electrical grid for distribution to power company customers. According to Kissinger, the panels are solid and contain no chemical liquids that might leak.

Kissinger said the Grimm Road panels will be contained on eight of the 19 acres, surrounded by an 8-foot high wooden slat-fence. He said solar panels will be installed on 2.5 acres of that site.

As for the Bear Creek Road site, he said 14 acres will be screened off, again with wooden slat fencing and natural vegetation, with solar panels on 3.5 acres.

Township Solicitor Brian Farrington questioned Kissinger and Tempel about potential problems with glare from the solar farms disturbing nearby residents or vehicles passing by.

The panels will be installed about 10 to 12 feet off the ground, according to Tempel. He and Kissinger said the panels, which rotate slowly and change angles to capture maximum sunlight, would be no higher than 16 feet at the maximum upright angle and 10 feet at the lowest angle. That will allow for cutting the grass under them periodically.

They said, combined with the fence and natural screening and the fact that the panels are all black, glare would not be a problem.

The township ordinance allows for a 25-foot maximum for panel height.

However, resident Bob Buterbaugh challenged that claim. He asked if they considered the effect on nearby houses like his that would be at a higher elevation than 16 feet.

“I’m less than 300 yards from the property where they are putting this,” Buterbaugh said. “How are you going to prevent glare when I live more than 16 feet above that facility?”

“I will, 100%, have glare,” he said.

Kissinger said the SolAmerica team is aware of concerns about solar farms having an adverse effect on property values. He said he has not seen any documentation that bears that out.

“I think you would have to be naïve to think it won’t affect property values,” said William Bricker, who lives on Julia Road across Grimm Road from the smaller site.

Dave Hochbein, who lives on Grimm Road, agreed.

“My house is only 60 feet from the property line,” Hochbein said. “The property values are going to go downhill.”

He said studies done at the University of Texas and the University of California have shown the closer a house is to a solar project the more value it loses.

Darin Alviano questioned the effect the development would have on birds and wildlife. He pointed out the location of the proposed solar sites are close to Buffalo Creek Nature Park on Monroe Road and Todd Nature Reserve on Kepple Road, popular places to observe birds and wildlife.

“That’s probably the worst place you should put a solar field,” Alviano said, referring to Grimm Road. “The last thing we need is dead birds from flying into these solar panels.”

“I’m not against solar (energy), I think it’s great,” Alviano said. “But at this particular location? Not unless these gentlemen find a way to mitigate this.”

Joe Miller of Bear Creek Road said, “I live right next to where they’re going to put all these poles, and I’m scared to death. Right now I’m worried about a spark or a transformer exploding right next to my garage.”

Kevin Ben, another Bear Creek Road resident, said he has loved living in Buffalo Township’s country atmosphere.

“For 20 years, I was living the dream. But now it’ll be gone because of all this,” Ben said. “I don’t want this next to me.”