County planners find major gaps in proposed Mahoning Township solar park plan

Carbon County planning staff recommended that the Planning Commission send review comments to Mahoning Township and the applicant for a proposed commercial solar energy facility, saying the plan as submitted lacks required surveys, stormwater controls and permits and may intrude on FEMA-designated floodplain and wetlands.

The recommendation followed a detailed staff presentation about the application from Milo Enterprises for a commercial solar park along Ashtown Road. The plan calls for about 10.08 acres of earth disturbance and shows arrays of 5,400 ground-mounted solar panels with electrical connection to an existing PPL pole. County staff said the applicant previously received conditional use approval from the Mahoning Township Board of Supervisors on Feb. 12, 2025, but that the land development submittal is incomplete for county-level review.

County staff said the submission lacks a complete perimeter survey showing bearings and distances, a stormwater management and soil erosion plan, detailed stormwater calculations, an environmental/resource impact analysis, and documentation of required state and county permits. "The plan as proposed will require review and approvals and permitting by the county and state agencies," staff said, and recommended the county withhold approval until outstanding items are addressed.

Staff noted the site lies in portions of the 100-year floodplain and contains wetlands; they advised the applicant must obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and an erosion- and sediment-control plan approved by the Carbon County Conservation District because the earth disturbance exceeds one acre. Staff also said the township could require an environmental impact statement under local zoning rules depending on project size and site characteristics.

Other technical concerns listed in staff comments included lack of bearings and distances on the survey; missing certification of ownership and surveyor seal; incomplete depiction of existing natural features (trees greater than 8-inch caliper); absence of stormwater conveyance and outlet details that show how runoff from solar arrays will be managed so it does not discharge onto neighboring properties or to Mahoning Creek, which is classified in the transcript as a high-quality cold-water fishery; and missing fire access dimensions and evidence of an adequate firefighting water supply.

Staff also flagged transportation and structural concerns: the proposed construction route uses a single-lane stone bridge and Ashtown Road; supervisors previously expressed concerns that the bridge and roads may not be adequate for heavy construction vehicles and could require road bonding or repair assurances. The plan shows an underground electrical conduit traversing areas near an existing sewer easement and the proposed access driveway; staff asked for confirmation that conduit depth will not impede driveway or stormwater construction.

The county review memo noted a discrepancy in the plan’s panel counts: the plan text shows 5,400 panels but testimony before Mahoning Township supervisors mentioned about 5,800–5,900 panels; staff recommended the applicant confirm final panel counts before plan approval.

At the Planning Commission meeting staff recommended transmitting their review comments to Mahoning Township and the applicant and to require resolution of the listed deficiencies before any recording or final plan approval. Commissioners voted to send the comments.

If Mahoning Township or the applicant returns a revised submittal addressing the county and state requirements, staff indicated the revised plan will be re-reviewed by county and township engineers and may require conditioned preliminary approval before any final plan recording.