March 20 — SCRANTON — A Massachusetts-based company has appealed the zoning board’s rejection of a proposed solar farm at West Mountain.
The Electric City Solar Initiative of Waltham, Massachusetts has received zoning approval to build a large solar array with 12,000 panels on 73 acres of land on West Mountain, 800 blocks behind North Keizer Avenue off Graham Street. I asked for
The project will be the city’s first commercial solar venture. It would cost nearly $9 million to build and produce 4.35 megawatts of electricity per year. This is equivalent to powering 600-700 households. The array includes 36 acres of 73 acre parcels and three section panels located within a buffer area.
The area was a coal mine many years ago and the company, also known as ECA Solar, purchased the land in 2021. This is due to its proximity to PPL’s electrical installations, as company representatives testified at the February 8 zoning hearing. The electricity generated will be sold to PPL and transmitted directly to the PPL, they testified, allowing the solar farm to have minimal impact on the surroundings.
At the same hearing, some residents of neighboring Fawnwood Heights and Keyser Valley objected to the ECA’s plans. They expressed concern that clearing forest areas to install solar panels could increase rainwater runoff, and that the city and residents would not benefit from the solar plants. I was thinking
The zoning board has denied any special exceptions. ECA filed an appeal to the Lackawanna County Court on March 8 to reverse the zoning decision.
The appeal, drafted by Kingston ECA attorney David Schwager, alleges that the ECA met the requirements for a special exception and that the board erred on several counts. These reasons include that solar farms are “apparently less impactful and nuisance than the uses permitted in the area” and are compatible with land uses permitted in the area.
“As evidenced by the decision, the Board’s actions in denying the application were arbitrary, capricious and an abuse of its discretion, and (ECA) Solar fulfilled its responsibility to establish all necessary elements. It was against the law in many respects,” the lawsuit said.
Attempts to contact the Zoning Commission solicitor, Daniel Penetaur, were unsuccessful.
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jlockwood@timeshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5185;
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