Pamela Bland
West Amwell
On Aug. 23, the Zoning Board of Adjustment denied an application for a variance to the West Amwell ordinance regulating renewable energy facilities in the township.
The ordinance was approved earlier this year permitting major solar facilities on 20 or more acres of land. This current application was for conditional use of 9.8 acres of land for a solar facility. This land is zoned as neighborhood commercial on the corner of Rock Road Extension and Route 518.
Since the new ordinance was recently approved for the use of 20 plus acres for major solar facilities, why is this ordinance already being challenged with an exception for considerably less acreage of land? The expectation is that the Zoning Board would uphold the ordinance and protect the residents from inappropriate use of smaller parcels of land for energy facilities.
Neighbors who own property adjoining or near the proposed solar farm voiced concern at the meeting that approval of this variance would begin a precedent for other property owners to follow suit in attempting to build solar farms on small acreages in our township. Their concern was that numerous fields of solar panels would change the rural appearance of West Amwell and would not present a positive image for residents or visitors passing through the township. There was also concern for a negative impact on our property values.
We thank those members of the Zoning Board of Adjustment who were foresighted in preserving the rural character of our township and the surroundings to which we have been accustomed. Most of us chose to live in West Amwell because we prefer to be surrounded by trees and pastures, not commercial establishments or unsightly fields of solar panels.