City Council approves solar panel installation at 53 Howard Avenue despite visibility concerns

The Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) meeting held on December 3, 2024, in Lancaster City focused on two significant agenda items regarding property alterations and solar panel installations.

The meeting commenced with a discussion on a proposed alteration at 126 East King Street. The chairman recommended that the city council approve a certificate of appropriateness for replacing the existing wooden siding and trim with a fiber cement product on two rear dormers facing East Mifflin Street. The proposal was noted to meet the Secretary of the Interior's standards numbers 2, 5, and 6. After a motion was made and seconded, the board discussed the importance of maintaining the dimensions and profiles consistent with the existing structure. The motion passed unanimously, and it was clarified that the city council would review the recommendation at their next meeting on December 10.

Following this, the board addressed the application for rooftop solar panels at 53 Howard Avenue, submitted by PowerStream Solar and Electric on behalf of owner Robert Hess. The representative, Satchel Shoner, outlined the plan to install 11 solar panels on the rear slope of the house's main roof, which would be visible from South Shippen Street. Importantly, no panels would be placed on the front slope of the roof. The board reviewed the proposal, noting that the installation would be appropriate if it was fully reversible and had limited impact on the historic character of the structure. Questions arose regarding the height of the panels above the existing shingles, which was confirmed to be approximately four inches. The board members sought clarification on the visual impact of the installation, and the representative provided a recent project photo for reference.

The meeting concluded with no further questions on the solar panel installation, indicating a smooth progression towards approval. The next steps will involve the city council's review of the recommendations made during the meeting.