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FLORENCE: Zoning Board of Adjustment dismisses solar application

By Jen Samuel, Managing Editor
   FLORENCE — The people won out against large-scale solar development on farmland this week.
   A handful of the residents who voiced concerns last year in opposition to a 137-acre solar farm proposed on Bustleton Road farmland witnessed the plan officially end Tuesday night when the Zoning Board of Adjustment dismissed the RenewTricity application.
   Florence and Burlington residents united to fight RenewTricity and its sister corporation Florence PV LLC. The applicant called for 110,500 solar panels on the Bustleton Road farmland near the Burlington-Florence border.
   Zoning board attorney Dave Frank said on Tuesday that the applicant had requested that the application be dismissed.
   ”We’re not making a decision on the application (itself),” Mr. Frank said.
   The zoning board first reviewed the application on April 9 last year. It was deemed complete by board members April 24. A public hearing began May 22 and the hearing continued into two special meetings on July 14 and Aug. 27.
   Residents who lived near the proposed solar farm came out in full force on Aug. 27, speaking against the application for various reasons, including to preserve Florence’s’ farmland.
   The hearing was continued at the request of the applicant until Tuesday.
   In a letter dated Jan. 7, the applicant’s attorney, Patrick McAndrew, sent a letter to the Nancy Erlston, secretary of the board.
   ”Regulatory and financing events have overtaken this application for an all solar project so my client will hereby withdraw it without prejudice,” Mr. McAndrew said.
   While under current Florence law, solar development is still permissible on the land, the township has begun creating an ordinance to limit where future solar facilities may be built.    The zoning board unanimously voted to dismiss the application.
   ”I would like to compliment the public,” said Board President Michael Zekas.
   ”I think it was a huge applicant and it would have impacted a lot of lives,” said member Candida Taylor, who also serves as board secretary. “You came out and told us what we needed to know.”
   Members of the public also thanked the zoning board.
   ”I would like to thank the board for their time away from their families and for doing such a great job for the community,” said Fred Heydorn of Florence.
   ”Thank you for your objective view,” said Dave Van Camp of Burlington Township.