Cecil Township holds initial hearing on proposed solar ordinance; residents ask about rooftop panels and batteries

Cecil Township supervisors on Monday opened public hearings on a proposed ordinance to regulate principal solar energy systems (PSEs), including where ground-mounted solar farms would be allowed and what standards (acreage minimums, screening, fencing, insurance and decommissioning financial securities) would apply. The board said the proposal is an initial draft and additional hearings will be held.

During the hearing residents raised detailed questions about scope and enforcement. "Will this be addressing both freestanding solar farms and roof-mounted solar farms?" asked Cara Shuran. Officials replied that the draft is primarily geared toward larger ground-mounted systems and suggested rooftop installations are more analogous to other rooftop equipment; the ordinance includes a roof-mounted definition but will likely be clarified in later drafts.

Speakers also asked whether ground-mounted systems that feed electricity back to the grid should be treated differently from systems that serve only the host property, and whether properties without a primary structure can be used as principal-solar sites. Board members said these are issues to refine; several noted accessory-use limits and the need to consider whether a principal PSE becomes the primary use of a parcel.

Battery storage, inspection and safety drew sustained attention. One resident asked whether annual inspections or separate battery-storage rules would be needed; township staff said electrical-work requires permits and inspections and that municipalities sometimes adopt standalone battery-storage ordinances. The board suggested strengthening decommissioning and financial-security language and indicated county planning and local planning-commission comments will be incorporated.

No action was taken; the board closed the evening's hearing and indicated additional public hearings will follow as the ordinance is revised.