The township zoning forgot

LINDA DROLLINGER
Posted 8/21/12

BEACH LAKE, PA — “Without zoning, we have no advance knowledge of commercial enterprises coming to our township, no ability to determine their location, and no way to regulate their operation.” …

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The township zoning forgot

Posted

BEACH LAKE, PA — “Without zoning, we have no advance knowledge of commercial enterprises coming to our township, no ability to determine their location, and no way to regulate their operation.” Resident Jim Barth’s remarks at the October 18 Berlin Township Board of Supervisors’ meeting came in response to news that Stourbridge Energy, LLC is going forward with plans to locate an electric generating station in Berlin Township.

Supervisor Cathy Hunt read aloud a September 19 letter to the supervisors from Hillcrest Group environmental consultants. The letter began:

“This is to notify you that Stourbridge Energy, LLC will be submitting to the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) within the next week an Air Quality Plan Approval Application to install a small 21+MW electric generating station to be located off of Skycrest and Adams Pond Roads… Electric energy will be produced and placed on the electric grid through the use of three Rolls Royce Bergen lean-burn reciprocating internal combustion engines. Also included at this facility will be a gas processing plant that will use a desiccant system to remove water and a small gas-fired heater. There will also be tanks for oil, used oil and urea. The facility will be a natural minor source of air pollution under state and federal requirements.... ”

In an email to supervisors dated September 20, Kristi Gittins of IMG Midstream, Stourbridge Energy, LLC’s parent company, said the purpose of this and other similar electric generating stations is to reinvest energy created by local gas production back into the community through electric power generation. But, as Hunt pointed out, there is no gas production in Berlin Township or elsewhere in Wayne County.

“Maybe it’s time to consider zoning,” said Barth.

Planning commission member Bailey Rutherford responded, “I put that option on the table years ago; it was shot down. Nobody here wants it.”

“Would it be possible to zone just the area where the proposed electric generating station might go?” asked Barth.

“No, the whole township would have to be zoned, with districts established for business, residential and agriculture,” said Rutherford.

And that brought to light another environmental issue. Upper Delaware Council (UDC) representative Al Henry asked the board to respond to a position paper regarding location of large-scale commercial solar installations within the Delaware River corridor. Noting that some municipalities in New York State have already prohibited solar farms within the corridor, he asked that Berlin develop a policy statement either permitting or prohibiting them within the township’s river corridor properties.

Henry said the main objection to placement of commercial installations of 10-plus acres within the river corridor is collateral damage to the viewshed. “But if the panels were located on a large tract of land invisible from both the river and any road, would that make a difference?” asked Henry.

The purpose behind the request, said Henry, is to encourage grassroots policy over federal policy, such as National Park Service directives. UDC expects the response to its position paper by December 16.

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