Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Rooftop Solar topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning Commission forwards three rooftop-solar conditional-use applications for 100 Fry Drive to supervisors
Summary
The Planning Commission recommended approval of three conditional-use applications for a 1.2 million-square-foot rooftop solar installation at 100 Fry Drive, forwarding the applications to the Board of Supervisors subject to staff/engineering comments and a 90-day lease-termination notice requirement.
The Silver Spring Township Planning Commission on Thursday recommended that the Board of Supervisors approve three conditional-use applications for rooftop solar at 100 Fry Drive, forwarding the proposals with conditions after a technical presentation and questions.
Paul Schemel of DSS Lawyers and Garrett Peterson of Sigma Renewables presented the applications (CU2026-1, CU2026-2 and CU2026-3) for a rooftop solar installation that will use a 1.2 million-square-foot roof divided into three separate arrays. Peterson said the closest solar panel will be about 115 feet from a property line, that the roof wall height is about 4 feet on three sides, and that the project will not add any new impervious surface. He said there will be no on-site battery storage; a decommission plan has been provided and the project already has PP&L approval for the electrical connection.
Peterson described the electrical routing: roof-mounted conduit will be buried from the building to the nearby PP&L line and connected via a riser pole. He also said the racking system will sit on rubber blocks to allow heat and water to dissipate. On monitoring, Peterson said the system will be monitored via a web connection and therefore would be affected by internet outages.
Commissioners raised technical questions. Curt Helman asked about stacked inverters and how heat and water are managed; Garrett Peterson said the racking and rubber-block approach handles dissipation and explained the inverter stacking configuration. Doug McDonald asked how modules attach to the roof and how the electrical lines run; Peterson described the rubber blocks and conduit installation. Pete Sandys asked about equipment warranties and replacements; Peterson said modules typically have lifespans of up to about 40 years and inverters carry warranties of roughly 10 to 15 years.
On a motion by Ron Secary, seconded by Pete Sandys, the Commission forwarded the three conditional-use applications to the Board of Supervisors with a recommendation for approval subject to staff and engineering comments and the condition that the applicant notify the Township within 90 days if the lease with the property owner is terminated. The motion carried.
The Board of Supervisors will consider the recommendation at a future meeting. The Commission’s liaison also noted a special Board meeting scheduled for May 13 to discuss the Data Center Ordinance.
